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POTIPHAR'S   WIFE 
AND  OTHER  POEMS 


POTIPHAR'S    WIFE 


AND  OTHER  POEMS 


SIR  EDWIN  ARNOLD 

AUTHOB   OP  "THE   LIGHT  OP  ASIA,"  ETC. 


NEW  YORK 

CHAKLES  SCBtBNEE'S   SONS 
1892 


COPYRIGHT,  1892,  BY 

CHAELES  SCBIBNER'S  SONS 


TROW  DIRECTORY 

PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPAN1 
NEW  YORK 


CONTENTS 

EGYPTIAN  POEMS 

PAGE 

POTIPHAR'S  WIFE, 3 

To  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN  SLIPPERS,    ...        24 
THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS, 30 

JAPANESE  POEMS 


60 
63 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES, 

FUJI— YAMA,        .       .       •       •       • 

THE  MUSMEE, 

AN  INTRODUCTION, 

THE  EMPEROR'S  BREAKFAST, 65 

SAYONARA,    

AT  SEA, .    70 

THE  "No"  DANCE, 7S 

OTHER   POEMS 

A  SONG, 89 

MOTHERS, 


VI  CONTENTS 

PAGE 

INSCRIPTION  FOR  WINDOW, 92 

SONNET  TO  AMERICA, 93 

THE  BRITISH  EMPIRE, 94 

THE  SULTAN'S  KING, 95 

CHAPTER  I.  OF  THE  DHAMMAPADA,        .        .        .97 

THE  CHIPMUNK, 102 

A  ROSE  OF  THE  "GARDEN  OF  FRAGRANCE,"        .  107 

To  MY  BIOGRAPHER, 109 

A  PICTURE, 110 

DURCH  DEN  WALD 112 

THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE  VICTORY,       ....  114 
THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION, 119 

L'ENVOI, 128 


EGYPTIAN    POEMS 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

(After  the  versions  of  the  Koran,  and  the  Persian  poet  Jami.) 


IN  Memphis,  underneath  the  palms  of  Nile, 
The  Lady  Asenath  a  house  did  build 

For  love  of  Hebrew  Yusuf ;  who,  erewhile 
With  flame  unquenchable  her  breast  had  filled  : 

The  treasures  of  Prince  Itfir  'stablished  it 

A  summer-palace  for  her  fancies  fit. 

n. 

White,  in  the  blue  Egyptian  sky,  it  soared 
With  mighty  graven  stones  reared  outwardly  ; 

This  side  the  gate — enthroned — sate  Horus,  Lord, 
Finger  to  lip ;  and,  on  that  other,  Thmei, 

Mother  of  Truth,  holding  her  asp  and  wand, 

Glared  with  great  granite  face  across  the  land. 


4  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

in. 

Inwardly,  by  an  alley  of  black  shade, 

The  footstep  passed   on   checkered  slabs  set 
square, 

Into  a  walled  court ;  where  a  colonnade 
Framed  a  glad  garden  full  of  odors  rare 

From  heavy  blooms  and  fruits.  Without  was  seen 

Golden  Noon  flaming,  here  'twas  Evening  green ! 

IV. 

And  all  the  wall  was  painted  movingly 

With  high-wrought  lore,   and    solemn-storied 

things : 
Anubis,  herding  souls,  was  there  to  see, 

And  Thoth  the  Judge  :  and  proud-apparelled 

kings 

Driving  to  wars,  and  bringing  spoil  again, 
Their  chariot- wheels  rose-red  with  blood  of  slain. 

v. 

And  elsewhere  Heaven  w#s  shown,  with  bh'ss  un- 
broken, 
Whereto  those  mild  immortal  sisters  lead, 


POTIPHAR  S   WIFE  5 

Isis  and  Nepthys;  and,  for  certain  token, 

Scarabs  in  holy  rows.     The  limner's  reed 
Had    drawn    their  foreclaws    holding    emblems 

three 
Of  Life,  and  Changelessness,  and  Sanctity. 

VL 

And,  elsewhere,  frowned  Amenti  —  Hell :  —  but 

over 
The  silver  plumes  swayed,  teaching  how  the 

Dead 

Should  pass  beyond  dire  Typhon,  and  discover 
Paths  to  the  happy  Light,  where  Ra's  bright 

head 

Rebukes  all  darkness,  Regent  of  the  Sun  ; 
And  Phtah,  Kneph,  Athor — every  Sacred  One. 

vn. 

Also,  that  cloistered  walk  was  compassed  in 
"With  pillars  wonderful  for  work  and  hue  : 

This  one  a  palm-stem  ;  that  papyrus  thin  ; 
Yonder,  in  stone,  lotuses  pink  and  blue. 


6  POTIPHAR  S   WIFE 

And  from  the  garden  and  the  colonnade 
A  roofed  way  to  the  inner  rooms  was  laid. 

VIII. 

For  inner  chambers  were  there  seven :  —  each 

fashioned 

With  matchless  wit  to  make  each  goodlier 
Than  that  last  seen.     So,  heart  and  eye,  impas- 
sioned 

Unto  the  inmost  passed,  devised  by  her, 
High  Asenath,  for  love's  deep  hiding-place, 
Beautiful,  marvellous,  all  peace  and  grace. 

IX. 

Through    latticed    loops    Nile's    cooling    ripple 

came — 

Musical,  lulling, — to  that  dim  retreat 
Which  had  for  light  one  silver  lamp's  faint  flame 

Burning  with  fragrant  oils  before  the  feet 
Of  Pasht,   in   speckled  stone,  Pasht  with  cat's 

head, 
And  long  arms  on  her  levelled  knees  outspread. 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  7 

x. 

The  forty  carven  columns  round  about 

Showed  each  some  master-piece  of  subtle  craft : 

A  musk-deer  here,  in  river-reeds,  breathes  out 
The  very  musk-scent  from  him:  there,  a  waft 

Of  bulrush-heads  to  the  quick  current  bend, 

And  the  slow  crocodiles  to  dry  land  wend 

XL 

Sunning  wet    scales.      And,  next,    a    gray    fox 

watched — 

In  syenite — doves  on  a  tamarisk-tree 
Done  out  of  green  rock.     Wings  and  necks  were 

matched 

In  lazulite  and  moonstone — fair  to  see! 
Midway  a  dais  mounted  to  a  bed 
Of  pearl  and  ebony,  with  soft  cloths  spread. 

XII. 

Upon  the  alcove  there,  and  all  around 
Love  tales  were  pictured :    some   swart  lady 
wooed 


8  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

A  lover  still  unwilling ;  he  was  bound 

In  dark  warm  arms,  refusing :  then  'twas  viewed 
How  to  her  spells  he  melted  :  then,  again, 
How  what  he  scorned  he  sued  for — fond  and  fain. 

xm. 

And  those  who  thus  Love's  luxuries  had  won 
Asenath  seemed,  and  Yusuf.     Limb  for  limb, 

Lips,  eyes,  and  brows,  the  Hebrew  boy  was  done 
Lifelike.     The  gemmed  Egyptian   dame  with 
him 

Shone  Asenath  herself,  Asenath  fair, 

With  robes  ungirt,  no  fillet  in  her  hair! 

XIV. 

Into  this  palace  'twas  her  mind  to  bring 

Yusuf  the  slave,  and  lead  him,  room  by  room, 

Through  all  their  passages  of  pleasuring 

Till  eyes'  delight  should  heart's  cold   doubts 
consume. 

But  first  herself  she  'tired,  and  lovelier  made 

That  loveliness,  too  rich  before  arrayed ! 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  9 

xv. 

Her    eyebrows'    arch  with    pencilled    lines  she 
builded, 

And  touched  each  underlid  with  jetty  dye; 
Drew  the  long  lashes  separate,  and  gilded 

Her  flesh  with  palm-flow'r  dust,  to  beautify 
The  ambered  satin  of  her  nape  and  neck ; 
And  deftly  with  red  henna  did  she  deck 

XVI. 

Her  slender  finger-tips ;  and  washed  with  myrrh 

Her  long  black  tresses,  braiding  them  in  strings 

Which,  from  the  queenly  gleaming  crown  of  her 

Swung  to  her  knees,  banded  with  beads  and 

rings : 
And,    'thwart    her    breasts— like    lotus-blossoms 

blown — 
A  purple,  spangled,  sindon  hath  she  thrown. 

xvn. 

Then  she  bade  summon  that  fair  Hebrew  boy: 
"Who  came,  with  palms  across  his  faint  heart 
folded, 


io  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

And  kissed  her  feet,  and  prayed :  "  What  swift 

employ 
May  thy  true  servant  find?"      Of  manhood 

moulded 

In  every  part  was  Yusuf ;  and  her  eye 
O'er-roamed  him  with  a  tender  tyranny. 

xvm 

Yet  more  he  shunned  th'  imperious  look  of  love 
Than  if  her  glance   had  blaze  of  wrath  dis- 
played : 
"But,"  quoth  the  Princess,  "this  night  will  I 

prove 
If    thou  be    servant   true ! "    Therewith    she 

bade 

Follow : — and,  entering  that  first  chamber-door, 
Shot  the  bronze  bolt ;  and  from  his  brown  throat 
tore — 

XIX. 

With  swift  impatient  hand — the  leathern  thong 
Marking  him  thrall ;   and  cried :    "  My  soul's 
desire ! 


POTIPHARS   WIFE  II 

I,  thy  hid  handmaid,  do  thee  daily  wrong 

Playing  the  mistress.     By  Ea's  morning  fire 
Freed  art  thou !     Make  my  gift  of  freedom  sweet 
Lifting  this  love-sick  giver  from  thy  feet ! " 


XX. 

With  that  she  poured  her  black  imperial  hair 
In  waves  upon  his  sandals.     But,  he  said : 

"Thou,  to  whom  Egypt's  noblest  kneel  in  fear, 
Mock  me  not  thus,  on  whom  the  charge  is  laid 

To  guard  thee  for  my  Lord ;  or,  if  set  free, 

Great  lady !  grant  my  soul  his  liberty ! " 

XXL 

Silent  she  rose : — drew  him  on  inwardly 
Behind  the  second  door,  locking  it  hard: 

Took  from  a  chest, — cut  of  the  almond-tree — 
A  cirque,  with  gods  and  scarabs  set  in  sard : 

"See  now!"  she  cried:   "I  crown  thee  Prince 
and  Lord, 

Will  not  those  lips,  made  royal  like  mine,  afford 


12  POTIPHAR  S   WIFE 

XXII. 
"The    word    I   pine    for,    which    shall    pay   for 

greatness  ? 

Now  may 'at  thou  lift  thy  face,  and  answer  sweet ; 
We  are  as  one  !     Quit  shame,  forsake  sedateness  ! 

Asenath  wooes  Lord  Yilsuf : — that  is  meet ! " 
"  Oh,  Itfir's  wife ! "  he  said,  "  meet  would  it  be 
I  were  made  vulture's  food,  hearkening  to  thee  ! " 

XXIII. 
Then,  through  those  chambers  third  and  fourth 

she  passed, 

And  to  the  fifth  and  sixth  she  led  him  on, 
Bolting  each  door  behind:  'till  at  the  last, — 
Laden  with  gifts  of  jade,  and  turkis-stone, 
And  robes,  and  torques — she  brought  Him  to 

her  bower, 

Where  'twas  her  thought  to  put  forth  Love's  last 
power. 

XXIV. 
For    all    four   walls   with    those  light    pictures 

burned, 
Painted  to  life — lovers  at  play — and  these 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  13 

Asenath  seemed,  and  Yusuf.     If  he  turned, 

Unyielding,  from  the  Princess  at  his  knees, 
On  the  same  Princess  gazed  he,  imaged  sweet; 
And  himself  yielded,  conquered,  at  her  feet. 

XXV. 

And  more  than  steadfast  soul  might  well  with- 
stand 

It  was,  to  bring  his  troubled  gaze  again 
To  that  great  suppliant,  wasting  on  his  hand 
Woful  caressings :  and  to  mark  what  pain 
Filled  with  clear  tears  the  bright  beseeching  eyes ; 
Heaved  the  soft  breasts,  as  sea-tides  sink  and 
rise. 

XXVI. 

For,  when  she  linked  the  last  door's  chain,  and 
seized 

His  hands,  and,  desperate,  her  last  prayer  said, 
He  had  been  stone  or  snow  to  view,  unpleased, 

The  lustrous  glory  of  that  low-bowed  head, 
The  meekness  of  such  majesty  forgot, 
The  queenly  pleading  orbs,  whose  light  was  shot 


14  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

xxvn. 

Star-wise,   through  sparkling  rain ;   which  more 

o'erpowered 

By  grace,  than   greatness,  to  the   sweet  sur- 
render. 

Like  a  charmed  snake  Conscience  its  cold  hood 

lowered, 
While,  soft  as  muted  lute,  in  accents  tender 

Her  rich  lips  murmured,   "  Oh,  how  long,  how 
long 

Wilt  thou  do  thee  and  me  this  loveless  wrong?" 

xxvm. 

"How  long?   when  I,  who  may  command,  im- 
plore, 

Being  named  Mistress  of  the  Mouths  of  Nile  ? 
Yet,  if  into  the  Ocean  those  did  pour 

Silver  and  gold  all  day,  for  one  kind  smile 
From  those   close-curtained  eyes,  for  one  light 

kiss 
I  would  let  sea-born  Kneph  take  all  of  this! 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  15 

XXIX. 

"Give,  then,  mine  heart  its  will,  mine  eyelids 
sleep ; 

My  head  the  pillow  that  can  lull  its  woe. 
Shall  Asenath  of  Memphis  vainly  weep? 

I  cry  to  thee  by  Him  thou  honorest  so, 
Thy  Hebrew  Jah — if  He  hath  any  ruth — 
Show  mercy  !  put  to  fruit  thy  blossomed  youth !  " 

XXX. 

"Yea!  by  the  marks  thy  God  hath  set  on  thee 
To  make  thee  most  desirable, — thy  hair 

Glossed  like  an  ibis'  wing, — thy  brows  which  be 
Black  rainbows  to  thy  sunlike  eyes, — the  fair 

Wonderful  rounding  of  thy  temples  twain, 

And  that  flower  mouth, — which,  when  it  opes 
again 

XXXI. 

"Cannot,  and  shall  not  say  me  'nay' — by  these, 
And  all  thy  goodly  strength,  for  Love's  use 
given, 


16  POTIPIIAR'S  WIFE 

By  my  salt  tears,  and  by  my  soul's  disease, 
Shut    me    no    longer    from    the    wished -for 
Heaven  ; 

Its  gate  is  there  !    there — in  those   arms  tight- 
locked — 

Open  them — open  !  for  my  heart  hath  knocked  ! " 

xxxn. 

"What  gives  thee  fear,  -when  I  am  none  afeard? 
Where  is  thy  shame,  if  I  am  naught  ashamed  ? 
What  whisper  of  our  comforts  shall  be  heard 
From  these  still  walls  ?    How  should  thy  blood 

be  blamed 

Mingling  with  mine,  who  come  of  Pharaoh's  race  ? 
With  mine,  that  have  these  brows,  this  breast, 
this  face?" 

xxxm. 

"  Ah,  thou  most  high  and  most  beguiling  one ! " 
Trembling  he  answered :   "  tempt  me  not  to 

this! 
Easy  it  were  to  do,  but  ill,  being  done, 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  17 

If  I  should  sell  white  virtue  for  a  kiss, 
And  break  the  bright  glass  of  unstained  faith 
To  burn  for  sharne  when  our  Lord  Itfir  saith, 

XXXIV. 

"'Yusuf,  my  Trusted!'    By  the  living  Lord, 
Whose  lamp  the  sun  is,  seeing  everywhere, 

Too  sore  I  pity  thee  !     Too  soon  the  word 
Of  '  yea '  would  leap,  if  it  were  only  fear 

Which  locks  it  in  my  lips :  oh,  let  me  go 

And  on  some  other  day  this  might  be  so ! " 

XXXV. 

"Nay,  nay!"  she  cries:  "for  me  is  no  to-mor- 
row! 

Who,  dying  in  a  desert,  puts  aside 
The  water-skin?     Who,  holding  cure  of  sorrow 

Bears  on  with  agony  ?    When  could  betide 
A  better  time  than  now,  a  surer  spot? 
What's  wrought  the  Gods   themselves  will  wit- 
ness not ! " 


i8  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

xxxvi. 

"My  God  will  witness!"   quoth  he,  "and  make 

know 

My  Master."    "  Oh,  thy  Master  !  "  brake  in  she, 
"I  have  a  herb  of  Nile,  and,  when  cups  flow, 
Crowned  at  the    banquet,   there    shall    some 

night  be 

A  strange  new  savor  in  his  wine : — and,  then 
Sleep  on  his  eye,  and  ceasing  from  'midst  men." 

XXXVIL 

Backward  thereat  he  drew,  as  when  a  snake 
From  coralled  jaws  bares  sudden  fatal  fangs  ; 

But  she,  distempered,  from  her  belt  did  take 
A  knife  :  and,  while  with  one  fond  hand  she 
hangs 

Hot  on  his  neck,  the  other  the  blade  kept 

So  pressed  to  the  skin  the  scarlet  blood  outleapt. 

xxxvm. 

And  with  wild  eyes  she  spake :   "  My  soul  hath 

clung 
Too  close  to  thine.  Unkind !  to  cling  in  vain ; 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  19 

Mine  ears  have  drank  the  music  of  thy  tongue 

Too  long  for  life,  except  Love  heals  life's  pain ! 

See !    the  fond   dagger  for  my    scorned  blood 

yearns, 
And  drinks  its  first  drop,  where  the  bright  point 

burns ! " 

XXXIX. 

"Deny  me,  and  I  drive  this  shining  death 
Straight  to  the  heart  which  thou  contemnest 
so; 

And  when  last  love-sigh  comes  with  latest  breath, 
And  o'er  thy  cruel  hands  the  red  streams  flow, 

My  murdered  body  shall  Lord  Itfir  see, 

And  the  dread  charge  of  this  will  light  on  thee !  " 

XL. 

With  eager   grasp   he   clutched  her   wrist,  and 

cried : 

"  Great  Asenath !  have  pity  on  us  both ! 
From  such  mad  frenzy  turn  thy  steel  aside. 
Too  fair — too  dear — to  die  !  too —  "    She,  not 
loath, 


20  POTIPHARS  WIFE 

Deeming  the  boy  relenting,  sheathed  her  blade, 
And  with  close-winding  arms  a  warm  chain  made 

XLL 

About  his  beating  breast,  and  drew  him  down 
Against  her  mouth,  and  dragged  '  nay !  nay  ! ' 

away 

In  such  a  cleaving  kiss  his  sense  did  swoon, 
His  tongue,  shut  in  with  honey,  naught  could 

say; 

His  eyes,  meeting  her  eyes,  such  fierce  flame  took 
They    dropped  their   lids   not  to   be  lightning- 
strook. 

XLTT. 

Then,  while  he  sank  back,  will-less,  on  the  silk, 

She  rose,  of  triumph  sure,  and  deftly  drew 
From  her  smooth  shoulders, — brown  and  smooth 

as  milk 
"With  palm-wine   mixed — that  scarf  of  purple 

hue 

Veiling  her  bosom's  splendors  ;  this  she  bore, 
Quick-tripping,  to  the  niche  beside  the  door, 


POTIPHAR'S  WIFE  21 

XLIII. 

Where,  on  tall  pedestal,  in  pride  of  place, 
Sate  Pasht  the  Cat,  with  orbs  of  green  and  gold ; 

And,  over  those  green  eyes,  and  o'er  the  face 
That  garment  hath  she  draped,  so  that  its  fold 

Hid  the  House-Goddess  to  her  porphyry  chin. 

"Why  doest  thou  this?"  asks  TOsuf.      "If  I 
sin—" 

XLIV. 

Answers  glad  Asenath — "it  must  not  be 

That  Pasht,  whom  every  morn  I  straitly  serve 
With  musk,   and  flowers,   and    prayers  —  great 

Pasht,  should  see  ; 
That  Pasht,  with  those  sharp  eyes  should  know 

I  swerve 

From  law : — for  she  would  blab  to  Lords  of  Hell, 
But  what  she  doth  not  spy  she  will  not  tell." 

XLV. 

Turning,  she  made  to  clip  him  ;  but  he  broke, 
Like  the  sun  bursting  through    a    shattered 
cloud, 


22  POTIPHAR'S  WIFE 

Fierce  from  her  arms :  and,  all  alight,  he  spoke 
Angrily  thus:  "Take,  too,  thy  skirt,  and  shroud 
Yon  stars  that  gaze  upon  us  from  God's  sky! 
Cover,  with  fine-wove  webs,  the  angry  eye 

XLVL 

"  Of  dread  Jehovah,  watching  everywhere ! 
Bind  His  free  winds,  and  bid  them  whisper 

naught ! 

Lay  hand  upon  His  lightnings,  flashing  clear 
And  bribe  them  not  to  strike !    Let  there  be 

brought 

His  thunders,  muzzled,  to  thy  bower;  and  win 
Their  awful  voices  to  forgive  our  sin ! " 

XLVIL 

"  Fear'st  thou  those  stony  eyes  thou  didst  enfold, 
And  shall  not  I  my  fathers'  Lord  fear  more, 

Whose  glance  none  may  shut  out,  Whose  eyes 

behold 
All  things  in  every  place  ?    Tempted  full  sore, 

Lady  of  Egypt !  was  thy  witless  slave : 

Now  breaks  he  from  thee,  better  faith  to  save  !  " 


POTIPHAK'S  WIFE  23 

XL  VIII. 

With  that  he  darted  forth.    And  Asenath 
Reached  at  his  waist-cloth,  rending  it  atwain ; 

One  portion  in  her  wrathful  hand  she  hath, 
One  the  fast-flying  Ytisuf  doth  retain; 

While,  in  his  speed,  he  flings  back  bolts  and  bars 

Till,  'scaped,  he  stands  under  the  mindful  stars. 


TO  A  PAIR    OF    EGYPTIAN    SLIP- 
PERS 

TINY  slippers  of  gold  and  green, 

Tied  with  a  mouldering  golden  cord ! 
What  pretty  feet  they  must  have  been 

When  Csesar  Augustus  was  Egypt's  lord  ! 
Somebody  graceful  and  fair  you  were  ! 

Not  many  girls  could  dance  in  these ! 
When  did  your  shoemaker  make  you,  dear, 

Such  a  nice  pair  of  Egyptian  '•'  threes  ? " 

Where  were  you  measured  ?    In  Sa'is,  or  On, 

Memphis,  or  Thebes,  or  Pelusium  ? 
Fitting  them  featly  your  brown  toes  upon, 

Lacing  them  deftly  with  finger  and  thumb 
I  seem  to  see  you  ! — so  long  ago, 

Twenty-one  centuries,  less  or  more  ! 
And  here  are  your  sandals  :  yet  none  of  us  know 

What  name,  or  fortune,  or  face  you  bore. 


TO  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN   SLIPPERS      25 

Your    lips    would  have    laughed,   with    a   rosy 

scorn, 
If  the  merchant,  or  slave-girl,  had  mockingly 

said, 
"The  feet  will  pass,  but  the  shoes  they  have 

worn 
Two  thousand  years  onward  Time's  road  shall 

tread, 
And  still  be  footgear  as  good  as  new ! " 

To  think  that  calf-skin,  gilded  and  stitched, 
Should  Home  and  the  Pharaohs  outlive  —  and 

you 

Be  gone,  like  a  dream,  from  the  world  you 
bewitched ! 

Not  that  we  mourn  you  !     'Twere  too  absurd  ! 

You  have  been  such  a  very  long  while  away ! 
Your  dry  spiced  dust  would  not  value  one  word 

Of  the  soft  regrets  that  my  verse  could  say. 
Sorrow  and  Pleasure,  and  Love  and  Hate, 

If  you  ever  felt  them,  have  vapoiized  hence 
To  this  odor — so  subtle  and  delicate — 

Of  myrrh,  and  cassia,  and  frankincense. 


26      TO  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN  SLIPPERS 

Of  course  they  embalmed  you !     Yet  not  so  sweet 

Were  aloes  and  nard,  as  the  youthful  glow 
Which  Amenti  stole  when  the  small  dark  feet 

Wearied  of  treading  our  world  below. 
Look !  it  was  flood-time  in  valley  of  Nile, 

Or  a  very  wet  day  in  the  Delta,  dear! 
When  your  slippers  tripped  lightly  their  latest 
mile — 

The  mud  on  the  soles  renders  that  fact  clear. 

You  knew  Cleopatra,  no  doubt !    You  saw 

Antony's  galleys  from  Actium  come. 
But  there !   if  questions  could  answers  draw 

From  lips  so  many  a  long  age  dumb, 
I  would  not  tease  you  with  history, 

Nor  vex  your  heart  for  the  men  which  were  ; 
The  one  point  to  learn  that  would  fascinate  me 

Is,  where  and  what  are  you  to-day,  my  dear ! 

You  died,  believing  in  Horus  and  Pasht, 

Isis,  Osiris,  and  priestly  lore  ; 
And  found,  of  course,  such  theories  smashed 

By  actual  fact  on  the  heavenly  shore. 


TO  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN  SLIPPERS      2^ 

What  next  did  you  do  ?    Did  you  transmigrate  ? 

Have  we  seen  you  since,  all  modern  and  fresh  ? 
Your  charming  soul — so  I  calculate — 

Mislaid  its  mummy,  and  sought  new  flesh. 

Were  you  she  whom  I  met  at  dinner  last  week, 

With  eyes  and  hair  of  the  Ptolemy  black, 
Who  still  of   this  find  in  the  Fayoum  would 
speak, 

And  to  Pharaohs  and  scarabs  still  carry  us 

back? 
A  scent  of  lotus  about  her  hung, 

And  she  had  such  a  far-away  wistful  air 
As  of  somebody  born  when  the  Earth  was  young  ; 

And  she  wore  of  gilt  slippers  a  lovely  pair. 

Perchance    you    were    married?     These    might 

have  been 

Part  of  your  trousseau — the  wedding-shoes ; 
And  you  laid  them   aside  with    the    garments 

green, 

And  painted  clay  Gods  which  a  bride  would 
use  : 


28      TO  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN  SLIPPERS 

And,  maybe,  to-day,  by  Nile's  bright  waters 
Damsels  of  Egypt  in  gowns  of  blue — 

Great-     great-     great very-     great grand- 
daughters 
Owe  their  shapely  insteps  to  you! 

But  vainly  I  beat  at  the  bars  of  the  Past, 

Little  green  slippers  with  golden  strings! 
For  all  you  can  tell  is  that  leather  will  last 

When   loves,   and   delightings,   and    beautiful 

things 
Have  vanished,  forgotten — No  !  not  quite  that ! 

I  catch  some  gleam  of  the  grace  you  wore 
When  you  finished  with  Life's  daily  pit-a-pat, 

And  left  your  shoes  at  Death's  bedroom  door. 

You  were  born  in  the  Egypt  which    did   not 

doubt ; 
You  were  never  sad  with  our  new-fashioned 

sorrows : 
You  were  sure,  when  your  play-days  on  Earth 

ran  out, 
Of  play-times  to  come,  as  we  of  our  morrows ! 


TO  A  PAIR  OF  EGYPTIAN  SLIPPERS      2Q 

Oh,  wise  little  Maid  of  the  Delta !  I  lay 
Your  shoes  in  your  mummy-chest  back  again, 

And  wish  that  one  game  we  might  merrily  play 
At  "Hunt  the  Slipper" — to  see  it  all  plain! 


THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS. 

THERE  was  fear  and  desolation  over  Egypt's 
swarthy  land 

From  the  holy  city  of  the  Sun  to  hot  Syene's 
sand : 

The  sistruin  and  the  cymbal  slept,  the  dancing 
women  beat 

No  measure  to  the  pipe  and  drum,  with  silver- 
slippered  feet : 

For  the  Daughter  of  the  King  must  die,  the 
dark  magicians  said 

Before  once  more  the  Moon-God  Khuns  should 
lift  his  horned  head. 

And,   all  those   days,   the  temple-smoke  loaded 

the  heavy  air 
With  prayers  to  Set  the  Terrible,  who  heareth 

not,  to  hear ; 


THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS  3 1 

Those  days  the  painted  flags  were  down,  the 
festal  lamps  untrimmed, 

Mute  at  their  stones  the  millers  ground,  silent 
the  Nile  boats  skimmed : 

And,  through  the  land,  lip  passed  to  lip  sad 
word  of  what  would  be, 

From  Nubia's  golden  mountains  to  the  gate- 
ways of  the  Sea. 


There,  in  the  Palace  Hall,  where  once  her  laugh 

had  loudest  been, 
Where,  but  last  Feast  Day  she  had  worn  the 

wreath  of  Beauty's  Queen, 
She  lay  a  lost  but  lovely  thing,  the  wreath  was 

on  her  brow : 
Alas  !   the  lotus  could  not  match  its  chilly  pallor 

now! 
And  ever  as  the  orb  of  Day  sank  lower  in  the 

sky, 

Her  breath   came  fainter,  and  the  life   seemed 
fading  from  her  eye. 


32  THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS 

Mute  o'er  the  dying  maiden's  form   King  My- 

cerinus  bends  ; — 
Not  Pharaoh's  might  from  this  dread  foe  proud 

Egypt's  hope  defends ! 
Piteously  moans  he  :    "  In  this  world,  so   dark 

without  thy  smile ! 
Hast  thou  one  care  thy  Father's  love,  thy  King's 

pledge  may  beguile? 
Hast  thou  a  last  light  wish? — Tis  thine,  by  all 

the  Gods  on  high ! 
If  Egypt's  blood  can  win  it  thee,  or  Egypt's 

treasure  buy ! " 


How  eagerly  they  wait  her  words !    Upon  the 

pictured  wall 
In  long  gold  lines  the  dying  lights  between  the 

columns  fall ; 
Was  it  strange  that  tears  were  glistening  where 

tears  should  never  be, 
When  Death  had  touched  with  fatal  kiss  the 

lips  of  such  as  she? 


THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS  33 

Was   it    strange    that    warriors   should  raise   a 

very  woman's  cry 
For  help  and  hope  to  Athor's  ears  when  such 

as  she  must  die? 


Small  boot  of  bearded  leeches  here !  not  all 
Arabia's  store 

Of  precious  balms  can  purchase  her  one  noon 
of  sunshine  more  ! 

Hush  !  hush !  she  speaks  ! — the  pale,  drawn  lips 
murmur  a  parting  speech ! 

Ah,  silence !  let  no  syllable  be  lost !  so  whis- 
pers each. 

That  gray  crow  on  the  Palace  wall  which  croaks 
and  will  not  rest, 

An  archer  fits  his  arrow  and  splits  the  evil 
breast ! 


"  Father !    Great  Father ! — it  is  hard, — to  die  so 

very  young ! 
Summer  was  coming,  and  I  looked  to  see  the 

palm-buds  sprung ! 


34  THE  EGYPTIAN  PRINCESS 

Must  it  be  always  dark  like  this  ? — I  cannot  see 

thy  face ! 
I  am  dying !     Hold  me,  Pharaoh !    in  thy  kind 

and  strong  embrace  ! 
List !   let  them    sometimes  bear   me  where   the 

golden  sunbeams  lie, 
Farewell !     Farewell !     I  know  thou  wilt !    Tis 

easy  now  to  die  ! " 

And  ever  when  the  Star  of  Kneph  has  brought 

the  summer  round, 
And  the  Nile  rises  fast  and  full  along  the  thirsty 

ground, 
They   bear  her  from  her  rock-hewn  tomb  to 

where  the  Sun's  broad  light 
May  linger  on  the  close-bound  eyes  were  once 

so  glad  and  bright ; 
And   strew  palm-clusters   on   her   breast  while 

gray-haired  singers  tell 
Of  the  high  Egyptian  Lady,  who  loved  the  Sun 

so  well 


JAPANESE    POEMS 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

(A  Japanese  Story,  in  the  Japanese  Manner.) 

PART  I. 

IN  the  month  when  cherry-trees 

Paint  the  spring-time  pink, 
Lady  Haru,  with  her  maids, 

Sate  at  Kodzu's  brink : 
Good  it  is  to  live  on  days  like  these! 

Rosy  as  a  Musmee's  lips, 

Red  as  blood  on  snow, 
Bloomed  the  jewelled  branches  forth: 

Rice-birds  chirped  below : 
Over  silver  seas  went  white-sailed  ships. 

All  about  the  blossoming  rape, — 
Glad  to  own  its  gold — 


38  THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

Butterflies  and  dragon-flies 

Flitted  ; — snakes  were  bold 
To  draw  slow  coils  to  sunlight.    Every  cape- 

From  its  sleeping  shadow  rose : 

Fuji-San  was  seen 
Piercing  Heaven's  blue  above, 

Glassed  in  Ocean's  green ; — 
Doubled  forests,  doubled  gleaming  snows ! 

Beautiful  O  Haru  San, 

With  her  maids,  at  play, 
Pulled  the  lilies  ;    in  the  stream 

Bathed,  heart-whole  and  gay  :  . 

Spring-time  ripples  in  her  sweet  veins  ran ! 

By  and  by,  along  the  river, 

Comes  a  troop  of  boys : 
"Tis  a  fox-cub  they  have  captured ! 

Laughter  loud,  and  noise 
Who  shall  have  its  skin,  and  who  its  liver. 

In  the  bamboo-thicket's  gloom — 
At  safe  distance — sit 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  39 

Father  fox  and  mother  fox 

Gazing  after  it : 
"  O,  Kawwaiso  !  Caught  when  Spring  was  come ! " 

"Cruel,  noisy  boys!"  she  said, 

"Loose  the  little  fox! 
See  his  honorable  parents 

Weeping,  by  the  rocks ! " — 
"lye!  iye!"    Each  one  shook  his  head. 

"Foxes'  skins  fetch  half  a  bu 

In  Komadzu  town ! 
Foxes'  livers — sliced  and  dried, 

And  well  powdered  down — 
Sovereign  physic  for  a  fever  brew!" 

"Ah!  but  when  all  things  rejoice 

In  this  flower-time  feast : " — 
Spake  the  Princess — "will  you  kill 

Such  a  small,  soft  beast?" 
" Hime  Sama!"  cried  the  village  boys: 

"Your  august  excuse  we  crave — 
Yet — three  hundred  cash! 


40  THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

When  would  such  a  prize  befall 

If,  with  pity  rash, 
We  this  cub  unto  the  old  ones  gave?" 

Thereupon  O  Haru  San 

From  her  girdle  drew 
Copper  money,  silver  money 

Till  it  made  a  bu. 

"  See !  take  twice  the  price  !  "  she  said.     They 
ran 

Merry  thence,  to  be  so  rich, 

Leaving  frightened,  free, 
In  that  lovely  lady's  lap 

Poor  Ko-Kitsune, 
No  more  frightened,  feeling  her  soft  touch. 

For  she  loosed,  with  tender  hand, 

Knot,  and  noose,  and  string : 
Stroked  the  red  fur  smooth  again 

On  the  ruffled  thing ; 
Rolled  cool  nakasb  to  make  a  band 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  41 

Round  the  little  bleeding  leg : 

Offered  fish  and  rice. 
Plain  as  speech  the  black  eyes  said : 

"  Oh,  that's  very  nice ! 
Yet,  go  men  nasaimashi,  I  beg 

"  Leave,  kind  Princess !  now  to  go 

Where  my  parents  wait 
Close  by  yonder  bean-straw  stacks : 

Sad  must  be  their  state  : 
That  is  my  OkMsan,  whining  so ! " 

Therefore,  while  the  old  ones  gaze, 

Gently  on  the  ground 
Sets  she  down  the  wistful  cub : 

At  one  happy  bound  • 

Leaps  it  through  the  lilies,  clears  the  belt  of 
maize. 

Wounded  foot  forgetting 

To  its  kind  it  sped  ; 
Licked  its  loving  dam  all  over, 

Licked  its  father's  head  : 
Gravely  those  old  foxes,  left  and  right, 


42  THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

Looked  it  over,  neck  and  breast, 

Scanned  it  up  and  down, 
Smelled  it  from  the  feathery  brush 

To  the  smooth  brown  crown. 
Then,  upon  their  haunches  humbly  dressed, 

Two  sharp  barks  of  gratitude 

Honorably  paid : 
"  Farewell !     We,  your  servants  three, 

Send  you  thanks,  sweet  maid! 
Sayonara  I "    So  they  sought  the  wood. 

She,  with  glad  steps,  homeward  went 

By  the  river  banks, 
Watching  purple  shadows  climb 

Fuji's  wooded  flanks, 
Musing  how  fair  Mercy  brings  Content. 


PAKT  n. 

IN  the  tenth  Moon — none  wist  why — 

Sick  that  Lady  lay: 
As  from  cherry  boughs  the  bloom 

Falls,  so  fell  away 
Cheeks'  fresh  tint,  and  ripe  lips'  rosy  dye. 

More  and  more  the  gentle  face 

"Weary  grew  and  wan  : 
Those  that  saw  her  in  the  Spring-tide — 

Sweet  O  Haru  San — 

Cried :    "  Oh,   where  is  gone   such   youth   and 
grace?" 

Grave  physicians  gathered  nigh 

Famed  for  healing  lore ; 
Sovereign  herbs  they  culled  and  boiled : 

Not  one  whit  the  more 
Gained  she  glow  of  cheek  or  light  of  eye. 


44  THE   GRATEFUL  FOXES 

"Ever,"  so  she  sadly  said, 

"In  the  dead  of  night, 
Something  wicked,  dreamy,  dim 

Seemed  to  rise  in  sight, 
Hovered — horrible — about  her  bed." 

Therefore,  on  each  side  her  pillow 

Watched  a  gray-haired  nurse. 
In  the  morning,  nothing  witnessed ! 

Princess  Haru  worse! 
Drooping  like  a  root-cut  river-willow. 

Six  new  nurses  sate  about 

All  with  lamps  alight. 
"Setsunai!"  the  Princess  cries 

At  the  dead  of  night. 
All  the  nurses  sleeping,  all  the  lamps  gone  out ! 

Thereupon,  her  maids  fourscore 

Kept  full  watch  and  ward. 
At  the  "hour  of  the  Eat" 

Each  maid  sleeping  hard! 
The  torches  quenched !  the  Princess  weeping  sore ! 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  45 

Next,  five 'councillors  of  fame, 

Wearing  swords  and  frocks, 
Watched,  by  royal  ordinance ; 

Yet— at  "hour  of  Ox" 
All  a-slumber !  Haru  plagued  the  same ! 

Isahaya  Buzen  spake : 

"  Maho-tsukai  is  here  ! 
Tis  some  hellish  witchcraft  works, 

Else,  with  one  so  dear, 
All  our  eyelids  heavy  what  could  make?" 

"Is  there  none  to  break  the  spell? 

Must  our  Princess  die? 
With  my  fingers  and  my  thumbs 

Held  I  wide  each  eye ; 
Suddenly,  like  one  a-drunk,  I  fell!" 

Spake  the  Chief  Priest,  Raitan : 

"Nightly,  while  I  pray, 
Burning  incense-sticks,  and  beating 

Buddha's  drum, — till  day, 
Standing  near  the  shrine  I  see  a  man, 


46  THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

"Handsome,  youthful,  fixed  of  face, 

He  doth  supplicate 
"Set  my  Lady  Haru  free 

From  her  evil  state ! 
Hear  the  prayer  of  ltd,  Lord  of  Grace ! " 

"'Tak'st,'  I  asked  him,  'no  repose?' 

'Holy  Sir!'   he  said, 
'Prayer  is  all  that  I  may  offer. 

Might  I  guard  her  bed 
All  Hell's  fiends  these  eyes  should  never  close ! ' 

"Being  but  your  foot-soldier 

ltd  dares  not  speak  !  " 
Quoth  the  Shogun,  "Let  him  be 

Taicho — Captain !     Seek 
Only  how  to  save  our  daughter  here!" 

Therefore,  with  those  maids  fourscore, 

And  those  statesmen  five, 
Soldier  Ito  kept  the  watch. 

Hardly  half-alive 
Lay  the  gentle  Lady,  moaning  sore. 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  47 

On  the  snow-white  mats  a  cloth 

Heedf  ully  he  spreads  ; 
Stealthily  his  dirk  he  drew; 

Then — when  all  their  heads 
Nodded,  at  the  "hour  of  the  Moth 

Deep  he  drives  it  in  his  thigh. 

From  the  smarting  wound 
Spirts  the  blood:  when  slumber  tempts 

Twists  he  that  blade  round. 
Others  doze,  but  Ito  shuts  no  eye! 

Soon  he  sees  the  Witch  appear — 

Oh,  a  dream  of  death ! 
Wolf-shaped!  Wickedly  its  mouth 

Sucks  O  Haru's  breath. 
Ito  leaps  upon  it,  free  of  fear, 

Grasps  it :  flings  it :  goes  to  kill ! 

Struggling  shrieks  that  Shape : 
"If  you  slay  me  she  must  die, 

Grant  me  hence  escape 
And  I  tell  what  thing  might  make  her  well." 


48  THE   GRATEFUL  FOXES 

"Tell  it,  Hag!"  he  cries,  "and  swear 

Never  more  to  prowl!" 
Pants  the  Witch,  "I  swear!  If  you 

Grate,  in  her  rice-bowl, 
Fox's  liver,  woes  will  disappear." 

Ito  from  the  Night- Wolf  tore 

One  huge  bristling  ear. 
In  the  morning  all  awakened, 

Ah,  the  joy,  the  fear! 
Haru  smiling!    Blood  upon  the  floor! 

Statesmen  five,  and  waitresses, 

Sore  ashamed  to  drowse ! 
Gladness  in  the  royal  heart, 

Joyaunce  in  the  house ! 
Ito's  hurt  O  Haru's  own  hand  dresses ! 

Then  he  showed  the  ear,  and  told  them 

How  the  Witch's  breath 
Spread  a  spell  of  slumber  round 

Deep  as  sleep  of  death. 
"I  myself  had  nodded,  but,  behold  them  ! 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  49 

"With  these  humble  wounds  to  aid 

I  remained  awake, 
Twisting  still  the  dagger  slowly: 

Princess !   for  thy  sake 
In  my  heart  I  would  have  turned  that  blade!" 

Near  and  far  the  King's  word  sped 

Messengers  to  bring 
Fox's  liver.     "If,"  quoth  he, 

"Tis  this  healing  thing 
Faithful  ltd  shall  O  Haru  wed." 


PART  m. 

NEAB  and  far  the  hunters  sought, 

Roaming  every  wood : 
The  court  would  pay  the  weight  in  gold 

'Twas  well  understood: 
Yet  no  fox's  liver  to  be  bought  1 

To  their  mountain  huts  again 

Sad  those  hunters  came. 
"  All  the  foxes  know  !  "  said  they  : 

"Far  and  wide  the  fame 
Passeth  of  this  Princess  and  her  pain." 

Wrathful  waxed  the  Lord— spake  he: 

"Loth  I  were  to  slay 
One  fox  even,  yet  my  child 

Pines :  if  not  to-day 
Comes  this  thing,  then  disembowelled  be 


THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES  51 

"  Our  physicians !    Tell  them  so  ! 

Shall  a  Princess  sink 
For  this  matter  of  one  fox?" 

Sadly  sate,  to  think, 
All  the  great  court  doctors,  in  a  row. 

Then  they  humbly  sent  to  say : 

"One  man  might  succeed! 
Ito — please  your  Majesty — 

Is  the  best  at  need : 
Deign  to  grant  for  Ito  one  more  day!" 

Ito  reached  his  arrows  down, 

Strung  his  hunting-bow, 
Took  his  knife,  and  rope,  and  nets, 

In  the  woods  to  go : 
Suddenly — at  entrance  of  the  town — 

Comes  a  woman,  with  a  jar ; 

Very  low  she  bows: 
"Go  men  nasai!  I  was  bringing 

This  to  my  Lord's  house  : 
'Tis  what  you  would  seek,  fetched  from  afar." 


52  THE  GRATEFUL  FOXES 

Joyously  he  prays  the  price : 

"Nay!"  says  she, — and  drew 
Closer  down  upon  her  face 

The  country  hood  of  blue, — 
"  Afterwards  will  very  well  suffice ! " 

Joyously  he  brings  it  home : 

Glad  those  doctors  grew! 
In  a  bowl  of  beaten  gold 

The  precious  broth  they  brew : 
The  Princess  drinks !   the  charm  is  overcome ! 

Bright  as  silver  star,  sprung  newly 

From  the  purple  sea, 
From  her  bath  she  trips,  and  fastens 

Jiban,  imoji, 
All  the  glory  of  her  garments,  duly: 

In  the  garden,  with  her  maid, 

Walks,  a  moving  Flower, 
Fairer  than  the  Kiku  bloom 

After  autumn  shower. 
Quoth  the  Court,  "But,  is  the  bringer  paid?" 


THE   GRATEFUL  FOXES  53 

"Tenshi  Sama!"  Ito  said, 

"Yonder  she  attends!" 
Quoth  he,  "Take  this  gold,  and  pay 

What  may  make  amends!" 
At  the  spot  they  find  a  dog-fox — dead ! 

Round  its  neck  cause  thus  reported : 

"'Tis  my  husband  here! 
For  his  child  he  gives  his  liver 

To  the  Princess  dear : 
I — his  very  lowly  wife — have  brought  it" 


FUJI— YAMA 

To  the  fairest  of  his  friends 
This  her  faithful  poet  sends. 

On  the  top  of  Fuji-San 
Now  "we  stand ;  and  half  Japan 
Like  a  mighty  map  unrolled 
Spreads  beneath  us,  green  and  gold 
Southward,  pale  and  bright,  the  sea 
Shines,  from  distant  Misaki, 
Round  Atami's  broken  coast, 
'Till  the  silvery  gleam  is  lost, 
Mingling  with  the  silvery  sky, 
Far  away  toward  Narumi : 
Northward,  yonder  line  of  blue — 
Over  Mino  and  Bi-shti — 
(Say  the  guides)  is  Biwa  Lake, 
Forty  ri  removed,  to  take 


FUJI — YAM  A  55 

The  stork's  road  through  the  azure  air. 

Oh,  if  I  had  his  painted  pair 

Of  wings,  I'd  fly  with  them,  and  lend 

Those  strong  plumes  to  my  gentle  friend 

That  she  might  come,  without  one  soil 

Of  dust  on  her  dear  feet,  or  toil 

Of  weary  walking,  up  this  steep 

To  gaze  on  the  Pacific  deep, 

Fuji's  vast  slope — a  mountain-world — 

With,  half-way  down,  the  soft  clouds  curled 

Around  her  waist,  an  obi  fair, 

Scarlet  and  gold,  like  what  you  wear. 

The  rivers,  running  far  below, 
Like  white  threads  on  a  green  cloth  show; 
The  towns  are  little  purple  spots, 
The  villages  faint  grayish  dots  ; 
Over  the  tallest  mountains  round 
We  gaze,  from  Fuji's  monstrous  mound, 
And  see  far  past  them,  just  as  you 
Spy  Mita  clear  from  Azabu. 
O-Yama  to  a  mole-hill  shrinks, 
Bukozan,  now,  one  hardly  thinks 


56  FUJI — YAMA 

As  high  as  Kompira,  that  hill 

You  climbed,  with  such  good  heart  and  will 

At  Ikao,  in  the  pelting  rain  : 

We  spy  those  Ikao  ranges  plain 

Beyond  Koshiu,  and  near  to  view 

Karuizawa's  green  tops,  too. 

What  sunny  hours,  what  lightsome  times 

We  had  there,  in  our  walks  and  climbs ! 

I  like  the  mountains  of  Japan 

Best,  at  your  side,  O  Yoshi  San ! 

Gotemba  to  Subashiri 
The  road  was  rough,  yet  fair  to  see  ; 
Eed  lilies  glittered  in  the  grass, 
Green  waved  the  rice,  as  we  did  pass 
Nearer  to  this  majestic  Hill, 
Which  stately  grew,  and  statelier  still 
In  ever-shifting  clouded  dress 
As  we  drew  close ;  its  loveliness 
Most  perfect  when  at  sunset-time 
The  mists  rolled  from  its  brow  sublime 
And  showed — o'erhanging  the  long  street 
(Busy  with  many  a  pilgrim's  feet 


FUJI — YAMA  57 

And  fluttering  with  ten  thousand  flags) — 
Proud  Fuji  to  her  topmost  crags 
Steel-blue  against  a  saffron  sky — 
A  Queen  !     A  World  !     A  Mystery ! 

At  daybreak,  from  Subashiri 
We  started  forth,  with  horses  three, 
To  thread  the  woodland  path,  which  leads 
By  groves  and  streams  and  shrines  and  meads, 
Nigher  and  higher,  'till  we  find 
Umagaeshi,  and  leave  behind 
Our  steeds.    Henceforward  every  ri 
With  sturdy  foot  must  traversed  be : 
And  Fuji,  lifting  rosy  red 
Beyond  the  pines  her  peerless  head, 
Seems  still  as  far,  as  when,  last  night, 
We  watohed  her  in  the  sunset's  light. 

While  yet  we  paced  the  forest  road 
Where  green  woods  made  a  garment  broad 
For  Fuji's  knees,  and  dappled  shade 
Upon  the  speckled  pumice  played, 
I  wished  you  by,  that  you  might  share 


58  FUJI — YAMA 

That  sweetness  of  the  upland  air 
And  glow  of  the  glad  sunburst,  now 
Crowning  with  gold  Queen  Fuji's  brow ; 
But  when  we  came  where  snow-slips  tear 
The  flanks  of  the  red  mountain  bare, 
And  thence  to  climb  the  cone  began, 
'Mid  dykes  and  crags,  O  Yoshi  San! 
At  each  hard  step  I  did  rejoice 
Not  to  be  hearing  your  soft  voice, 
And  not  to  see  your  zori  tread 
That  rugged  way,  which  still  o'erhead 
Zigzagged  the  shoulder  of  the  crag, 
All  shifting  lava-dust  and  slag ; 
Almost  for  men  too  steep  and  rough 
Winds  the  wild  path!     We  had  enough 
Of  breathless,  toilsome  tramp  all  day 
Before  our  long  line  made  its  way 
To  "Station  Eight" — Hachi-go-me, 
Glad  was  I,  'mid  such  mist  and  rain 
To  know  you  safe  in  the  warm  plain. 

Clambering  from  "  Station  Eight's  "  black  rock 
We  topped  the  cone  at  nine  o'clock, 


FUJI— YAMA  59 

Where  this  I  write,  to  keep  my  word, 

And  prove  that,  wholly  undeterred 

By  distance,  high  up  in  the  sky 

My  thoughts  back  to  my  sweet  Friend  fly 

Down  from  the  crest  of  green  Japan 

To  chat  with  you,  O  Yoshi  San! 


THE  MUSMEE 

THE  Musmee  has  brown  velvet  eyes 

Curtained  with  satin,  sleepily  ; 
You  wonder  if  those  lids  would  rise 

The  newest,  strangest  sight  to  see ; 
But  when  she  chatters,  laughs,  or  plays 

Koto,  biwa,  or  samisen, 
No  jewel  gleams  with  brighter  rays 

Than  flash  from  those  dark  lashes  then. 

The  Musmee  has  a  small  brown  face, 

"Musk-melon  seed"  its  perfect  shape: 
Jetty  arched  eyebrows ;  nose  to  grace 

The  rosy  mouth  beneath ;  a  nape, 
And  neck,  and  chin,  and  smooth,  soft  cheeks 

Carved  out  of  sun-burned  ivory, 
"With  teeth,  which,  when  she  smiles  or  speaks, 

Pearl  merchants  might  come  leagues  to  see ! 


THE  MUSMEE  6l 

The  Musmee's  hair  could  teach  the  night 

How  to  grow  dark,  the  raven's  wing 
How  to  seem  ebon !     Grand  the  sight 

When,  in  rich  masses,  towering, 
She  builds  each  high  black-marble  coil, 

And  binds  the  gold  and  scarlet  in ; 
And  thrusts,  triumphant,  through  the  toil 

The  Kanzashi,  her  jewelled  pin. 

The  Musmee  has  wee  faultless  feet, 

With  snow-white  tdbi  trimly  decked, 
Which  patter  down  the  city  street 

In  short  steps,  slow  and  circumspect; 
A  velvet  string  between  her  toes 

Holds  to  its  place  th'  unwilling  shoe : 
Pretty  and  pigeon-like  she  goes, 

And  on  her  head  a  hood  of  blue. 

The  Musmee  wears  a  wondrous  dress — 

Kimono,  obi,  imoji — 
A  rose-bush  in  Spring  loveliness 

Is  not  more  color-glad  to  see ! 
Her  girdle  holds  her  silver  pipe, 


62  THE  MUSMEE 

And  heavy  swing  her  long  silk  sleeves 
With  cakes,  love-letters,  mikan  ripe, 

Small  change,  musk-bag,  and  writing-leaves. 

The  Musmee's  heart  is  slow  to  grief, 

And  quick  to  pleasure,  dance,  and  song; 
The  Musmee's  pocket-handkerchief 

A  square  of  paper!     All  day  long 
Gentle,  and  sweet,  and  debonair 

Is,  rich  or  poor,  this  Asian  lass  : 
Heaven  have  her  in  its  tender  care, 

0  medeto  gozarimas  !  * 

*  Japanese  for  "May  it  be  well  with  thee ! " 


AN    INTRODUCTION 

(To  O  Ycwhi  San,  with  a  copy  of  "  Alice  through  the  Look- 
ing-Glass.") 

BLUE-EYED  Alice !  once  more  pass 
Lightly  through  your  looking-glass, 
Where,  hi  wonder- world  of  dream, 
Nothing  is,  but  all  things  seem. 
Pass !  and  tell  O  Yoshi  San 
All  the  mad  wild  fun  you  can, 
Till  her  dear  eyes,  dark  as  night, 
Gleam  like  yours  with  gay  delight. 
English  Alice !  if  you  please, 
Be  to-day  quite  Japanese ! 


Alice !  here's  O  Yoshi  San  ! 
(Sweetest  maid  in  all  Japan) 
Full  of  fun  as  heav'n  of  blue, 


64  AN  INTRODUCTION 

Yet  demure  and  studious,  too  : 
Yoslii!  give  your  soft  small  hand 
To  Alice,  fresh  from  Dreaming-Land ! 
Sweetest  girl  in  England  she, 
So,  make  friends — and  think  of  me! 


THE  EMPEROR'S  BREAKFAST 

FIFTEEN  centuries  ago, 

Emperor  Nintok  of  Japan 

Walked  upon  his  roof,  at  morning, 

Watching  if  the  work  began 

Well — to  gild  the  cedar  frieze 

Of  his  palace  galleries ; 

Well — to  nail  the  silver  plates 

Of  his  inner  palace  gates; 

For  the  Queen  would  have  it  so 

Fifteen  hundred  years  ago ! 

Walking  on  his  roof,  he  spied 

Streets  and  lanes  and  quarters  teeming, 

Saw  his  city  spreading  wide : 

Ah !   but  poor  and  sad  in  seeming 

Showed  those  lowly  wooden  huts 

Underneath  the  King's  gates  gleaming. 


66    THE  EMPEROR'S  BREAKFAST 

Oh !  he  knows  each  wicket  shuts 

One  world  out  and  one  world  in: 

This  so  great,  and  that  so  small, 

Yet  to  those  plain  folks  within 

The  little  world  their  all  in  all ! 

Just  then,  the  waiting  maids  bore  through 

The  breakfast  of  King  Nintoku. 

Quoth  the  Emperor,  gazing  round, 

"Wherefore — when  my  meats  abound — 

See  I  not  more  smoke  arise 

From  these  huts  beneath  mine  eyes? 

Chimneys  jut  into  the  air, 

Yet  no  chimney-reek  is  there 

Telling  how  the  household  pot 

Bubbles  glad  with  gohan*  hot! 

Gild  me  no  more  galleries 

If  my  people  lose  the  gold! 

Let  my  doors  unplated  go 

If  the  silver  leaves  them  cold! 

This  city  of  all  tax  I  ease 

For  three  years :    We  decree  it  so ! 

*  Boiled  rice. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  BREAKFAST    67 

From  those  huts  there  shall  be  smoke ! " 
Thus  the  Emperor  Nintok  spoke. 

Three  years  sped.     Upon  his  roof 
That  Monarch  paced  again.     Aloof 
His  Empress  hung,  ill-pleased  to  see 
The  snows  drip  through  her  gallery, 
The  gates  agape  for  cracks,  and  gray 
With  wear  and  weather.     "Consort!   say 
If  thus  the  Emperor  of  Japan 
Should  lodge,  like  some  vile  peasant  man 
Whose  thatch  leaks  for  a  load  of  straw?" 
"Princess  august!  what  recks  a  flaw," 
Nintok  replied,  "in  gate  or  wall 
When,  far  and  wide,  those  chimneys  all 
Fling  their  blue  house-flags  to  the  sky 
Where  the  Gods  count  them?    Thou  and  I 
Have  part  in  all  the  poor  folks'  health : 
A  people's  weal  makes  a  Bang's  wealth!" 


"  SAYONARA." 

WHICH  word,  of  all  the  words  for  parting  made, 

Seems  best  to  say,  and  sweetest,  being  said? 

"Which  holds  most  tenderness,  and  least  despair, 

And  lingers  longest  in  the  loved  one's  ear? 

O  Yoshi  San !  O  Fuku  San  !  when  we 

Must  say  "Good-by,"  shall  that  the  last  word  be, 

Our  English  "  God  be  with  you  ?  "  or,  in  phrase 

Of  Persia,  "  Khuda  hafiz  " — "All  your  days 

Heaven  keep  you ! "    Or,  as  the  Egyptians  do, 

" Lailatak  said!" — "Happy  night  to  you!" 

Or,  in  the  Arab  manner,  hand  on  brow, 

"  Salaam  aleikum  !  " — "  Peace  be  with  you  now ! " 

Or,  in  the  soft  Italian— "  Addio  !" 

"  To  God  I  give  you,  since — alas  ! — I  go." 

"  Ora  d?  partenza  !  "     Or,  as  they  of  Spain, 

"Hasta  la  vista!"— "Till  we  meet  again!" 

"  Vaya  con  Dios  !  " — "  Go  thy  ways  with  God ! " 


" SAYONARA  "  69 

Or  lightly,  with  the  lively  Frenchman's  nod, 
" Bon  soir,  mais  sans  adieu!" — " Good-night,  and 

yet 

No  speech  of  parting  till  once  more  we  are  met !  " 
Or  solemn  Sanskrit  "  Swdgatam  ;  "  or  word 
Of  guttural  German,  at  hand-shaking  heard, 
"Auf  wiedersehen."     Or  any  far-fetched  speech 
Of  India,  China,  Russia,  seeking  each 
Some  pretty  gentle  wish  to  charm  away 
The  sorrow  of  the  thing  they  have  to  say? 
No !  it  shall  not  be  any  one  of  these, 
But  " Sayonara,"  in  soft  Japanese; 
For  this  at  worst,  means  "  Since  it  must  be  so  ! " 
And,   while  we  speak  the  sad  word,  who  can 

know 

We  shall  not  change  it  to  "  So  de  wa  nai !  " 
And  have  no  Sayonara  then  to  say  ? 


AT  SEA 

TANGLED  and  torn,  the  white  sea-laces 

Broider  the  breast  of  the  Indian  Deep: 
Lifted  aloft  the  strong  screw  races 

To    slacken   and   strain   in   the   waves  which 

leap: 
The  great  sails  swell :  the  broad  bows  shiver 

To  green  and  silver  the  purple  sea; 
And,  down  from  the  sunset,  a  dancing  river 

Flows,  broken  gold,  where  our  ship  goes  free. 

Too  free  !  too  fast !    With  memories  laden 
I  gaze  to  the  northward  where  lies  Japan  : 

Oh,  fair  and  pleasant,  and  soft-voiced  maiden ! 
You  are  there,  too  distant !     O  Yoshi  San ! 

You  are  under  those  clouds  by  the  storm-winds 

shaken, 
A  thousand  ri,  as  the  sea-gull  flies, 


AT  SEA  71 

As  lost  as  if  Death,  not  Time,  had  taken 
My  eyes  away  from  your  beautiful  eyes. 

Yet,  if  it  were  Death,  of  Friends,  my  Fairest ! 

He  could  not  rend  our  spirits  in  twain: 
They  came  too  near  to  be  less  than  nearest 

In  the  world  where  true  hearts  mingle  again. 
But  sad  is  the  hour  we  sigh  farewell  in, 

And,  for  me,  whenever  they  name  Japan, 
All  grace,  all  charm,  of  the  land  you  dwell  in 

Is  spoken  in  saying  "O  Yoshi  San!" 


THE  "NO"  DANCE 

YAMADA  SAN  said:  "Come,  and  see  the  'No' — 
Those  songs  and  dances  of  our  old  Japan  : — 
They  make  the  ancient  music  faithfully 
This  evening  at  my  Lord  the  Governor's  ; 
You  shall  be  honorably  pleased.     What  best 
Kyoto  boasts  of  geishas  will  be  there, 
With  Nara's  koto-player  ;  Haru  San 
To  beat  the  drum.     O  Yuki  San's  the  Boy ; 
O  Tsuru  plays  the  Fairy  in  first  dance — 
The  'Feather  Dress.'" 

So  to  the  Governor's 

That  evening,  through  the   lanes  of   lamps,  we 
went. 

And,  when  the  feast  was  ended  on  the  mats — 
Three  sides  of  a  full  square  of  friendliness, 
The  stage  the  fourth  : — and    each   guest,  well- 
content, 


THE   "NO"  DANCE  73 

Hemmed  in  with  twenty  little  lacquered  bowls 
Showed  like  a  ship  at  moorings,  with  the  boats 
Clustering  around ;  and  black-haired  musumees 
Brimmed  the  last  sake  cup,  and  gohan  came, 
The  silvered  shqji,  decked  with  maple  leaves, 
Opened  a  space,  to  let  the  music  in, — 
Two  samisens,  a  double  drum,  a  flute, 
Then,  with  low  reverences,  the  "No"  began. 

So  saw  we, — after  many  preludings 
Of  string  and  skin, — O  Yuki  San  pace  forth 
A  fisherman.     No  chance  to  err  herein, 
Seeing  she  bore  the  net  and  balanced  tubs, 
And  great  brass  knife  to  slice  the  tara  thin, 
All  as  you  note  them  at  Enoshima. 
Moreover,  fan  in  hand,  she  sings  a  song 
To  tell  us  how  her  name's  Hakuriyo, 
Her  dwelling  Miwo's  pine-grove,  and  her  life 
A  fisher-lad's,  reaping  the  deep  green  sea 
For  silver  harvests  of  the  silly  shoals 
Which,  caught  by  hundreds,  come  in  thousands 

more 
To  the  spread  mesh.    Mighty  the  draught  will  be — 


74  THE   "NO"   DANCE 

So  chants  the  Sea-boy,  sauntering  from  his  boat — 
Now  the  cold  rains  are  over,  and  the  sky 
Round  about  Fuji's  head  glows  pearl  and  gold  : 
With,  high  above  the  hardly  rippling  waves, 
Yon  gilded  sickle  of  the  new-made  Moon 
Leading  the  pale  lamp  of  the  Evening  Star 
Attendant,  like  some  heavenly  Musume. 
"Oh,  at  a  Spring-tide  so  delectable, 
With  purple  iris  fringing  all  the  rice 
And  fiery  lilies  flaming  in  the  rye, 
The  air  so  soft,  the  pines  whispering  so  low, 
The  dragon-flies,  like  fairy  spears  of  steel 
Darting  or  poised,  the  velvet  butterflies 
Fluttering  to  sip  the  last  sweets  of  the  rape 
Before  the  great  Sun  goes, — at  such  an  hour 
The   Gods   themselves   might   come    awhile    to 

Earth"— 
So  sings  young  Hakuriyo. 

And,  behold! 

Suddenly — hanging  on  a  branch  of  fir — 
A  wondrous  sight  he  spies !    The  samisens 
Twangle  surprise,  the  drums  beat  He-he-he, 


THE   "NO  "   DANCE  75 

While  Yuki  San,  a-tiptoe,  reaches  down 

A  many-tinctured,  fairy-patterned  robe — 

All  gold  and  scarlet  and  celestial  white — 

Of  feathers  wove,  but  feathers  of  such  birds 

As  surely  never  perched  on  earthly  tree  1 

The  lining  shot  with  airy  tender  tints 

As  of  a  broken  rainbow.     Glad  he  scans 

The  strange  bright  treasure- trove.     Another  such 

Suruga  never  saw! — Narumi's  looms 

Never  dreamed  such  a  marvel!    Light  of  heart 

Into  his  hut  dances  Hakuriyo. 

Casting  the  nets  aside  to  clasp  the  robe. 

Next, — very  softly  trill  the  samisens, 
The  drums  beat  muted,  and  the  flute  pipes  forth 
Expectant  tones,  while— light  as  falling  snow 
Or  breath  of  morning  breeze,  whispering  its  way 
Through  the  awakening  maple-leaves — glides  iu 
A  Heavenly  Fairy !     'Tis  O  Tsuru  San: 
And  neck,  breast,  slender  little  amber  limbs 
Are  bare  as  the  brown  sea-sand :  just  one  cloth 
Tied  with  a  sky-blue  string  about  the  waist 
Half  covers  her.     Sweetly  and  movingly 


76  THE    "  NO  "   DANCE 

At  the  hut-door  she  sings :    "  Oh,  thou  within 
That  hast  my  robe  of  feathers !    Open  now 
And  give  what  is  not  thine,  but  only  mine ! " 

Then  see  we  (kneeling  watchful  on  the  mats) 
O  Yuki  San  come  tripping  from  the  hut 
Clasping  the  feather  dress.     But  when  she  marks 
O  Tsuru  San  bowing  before  the  door 
Look  how  she  stands — Yuki  the  Fisher  Lad — 
Out  of  his  wits  with  well-shown  wonderment! 
So  beautiful  the  dark-eyed  weeper  is 
Unclad,  and  pleading  with  those  lovely  tears. 
Down  on  his  face  falls  young  Hakuriyo 
And  thus  they  talk,  with  samisens  to  help : 

SHE.  "  Fisher-boy !  give  back  to  me 

The  dress  I  hanged  upon  the  tree!" 

HE.    "  Oh  thou  !   well-clad  in  beauty  bright ! 
Form  of  glory,  face  of  light! 
Honorably  deign  to  tell 
Where  such  charms  celestial  dwell. 


THE   "NO"   DANCE  77 

What  thy  name,  august,  may  be, 
Fairest !   first  reveal  to  me  ! " 


SHE.  "  I  am  come  from  Heaven's  domain : 
If  I  spoke  it  ne'er  so  plain 
You  my  name  could  never  hear 
As  the  Angels  say  it  there. 
Flying  past  your  little  star, 
All  so  fair  it  looked,  afar — 
Silvery  sea  and  snow-tipped  hill — 
That  I  had  an  idle  will 
Once  to  set  my  foolish  feet 
On  those  flowers  that  shone  so  sweet. 
So  I  laid  my  robe  aside 
In  the  tree  which  you  espied : 
And,  without  it — shame  and  woe ! 
To  my  home  I  cannot  go!" 

HE.    "Loveliest  Lady!   little  mind 
Had  I,  at  the  first,  my  find 
Ever  to  surrender.     Now 
When  you  deign  to  tell  me  how. 


78  THE   "  NO  "   DANCE 

If  I  keep  it,  you  must  stay, 

No  more  for  your  garment  pray ! " 


SHE.  "All!   why  did  I  quit  my  sky 

Where  yon  happy  sea-birds  fly, 
And  the  wild  swan  spreads  her  wings 
While  the  wind  between  them  sings ; 
And  the  free  storks  urge  their  flight 
Strong  across  the  spangled  night? 
Render  back  my  robe,  and  soon  „ 
I  shall  soar  beyond  the  Moon, 
Thread  the  star-paths,  and  pursue 
Light  and  life  beyond  the  blue. 
Mortal!   'tis  impiety 
Not  to  give  mine  own  to  me!" 

HE.    "Always  I  would  have  you  here, 

Fairy!   bright,  and  sweet,  and  dear. 

Will  you  not,  for  love  of  love 

Let  go  longing  for  above? 

I  would  let  go  all  but  life 

If  I  might  but  make  you  wife!" 


THE   "NO  "  DANCE  79 

SHE.  "  Fisher-boy !   this  sea  of  thine 

Maddens  thee  with  mighty  wine! 
Fair  thou  art :  yet  thou  and  I 
Are  as  is  the  sea  and  sky, 
Which  may  meet  but  cannot  marry; 
If,  for  love  of  you,  I'd  tarry, 
'Twere  as  though  a  cloud  should  wed 
With  some  hill-top.     Soft  night  sped 
Lone  the  hill  rises.     Touch  my  hand 
And  better  shalt  thou  understand." 

HE.    "I  cannot  take  it!    Plain  I  see 

The  soft,  smooth  skin,  so  velvety, 

Of  hand  and  wrist !    Yet,  when  I  clasp, 

It  is  a  mist  melts  in  my  grasp. 

Now,  I  would  give  you  back  this  dress 

If  you  will  change  such  loveliness 

To  solid  flesh,  not  floating  air, 

Oh,  thou  than  living  flesh  more  fair!" 

SHE.  "Peace!   most  foolish  boy  and  fond! 
I  am  what  those  are  beyond; 
More  substantial,  didst  thou  know, 


80  THE   "  NO  "  DANCE 

Than  this  flesh  and  blood  below. 

Give  me  back  the  robe  whereby 

I  may  once  more  reach  my  sky, 

And,  for  deed  of  gentilesse, 

When  I  don  again  my  dress, 

I  will  dance,  to  do  thee  pleasure, 

One  round  of  our  heavenly  measure  ; 

I  will  sing,  to  comfort  thee, 

One  strain  of  the  melody 

Heard  by  souls  divine,  in  sphere 

Where  the  Light  is  lovelier  !  " 

HE.    "Ah!   to  see  you  fly  I  dread 

When  I  yield  this  wonder !    Tread 
First  your  measure,  Lady  sweet ! 
Then  I  place  it  at  your  feet." 

SHE.  "  Shame  upon  thee  !    I  have  heard 
Men  will  break  a  plighted  word, 
But  with  us  this  is  not  so ! 
All  unveiled  the  Spirits  go ; 
And  nay  is  nay,  and  yes  is  yes : 
I  dance  not  else  !     Give  me  the  dress  ! " 


THE   "  NO  "   DANCE  8l 

Then  see  we  Hakuriyo,  blushing  deep, 
Lay  at  her  foot  the  golden-feathered  gown 
Alight  with  silvery  white  and  scarlet  fires. 
And  while  the  samisens  make  chords  of  joy 
O  Tsuru  kneels,  and  gathers  wistfuDy 
The  shining  marvel  round  her  shoulders  :  laughs 
For  pleasure  to  be  safe  re-plumed  :   then  glides — 
With  voice  of  melting  notes,  and  paces  fair 
Falling  as  light  as  fir-cones,  to  the  dance: 

SHE.   "Now  it  is  mine  again 
I  am  fain,  I  am  fain 
To  pay  you  true,  as  a  Spirit  should  do 

With  secrets  of  Heaven  made  plain. 
Yet,  not  for  long  can  I  sing  this  song, 
Nor  dance  the  dance  of  the  skies; 
Your  earth  shows  fair, 
But  dense  is  the  air, 
And  we  wonder  not  if  your  eyes 
A  very  small  part  of  the  splendor  see 
Laid  upon  river  and  lea : 
Only  one  gleam  of  the  glory  shed 

From  Fuji's  diademed  head 
6 


82  THE   "  NO "   DANCE 

Down  to  this  leaf  of  the  momiji-tree 
Which  knows  and  courtesys  to  me : 
For  I  and  the  maple-leaf  are  one 

As  we  hear,  as  we  hear 
The  tender  unnoticed  tone 

Of  your  Earth's  voice,  ceaseless  and  clear 
And  we  move  to  the  swing 
Of  your  star,  in  the  ring 
She  weaves  round  the  flying  Sun; 

Weaves  so — so — so  : — 
Which  the  waves  understand 
And  the  wind  and  the  sand : 

But  you  cannot  ever  know ! " 


'Twere  good  you  should  have  watched  O  Tsuru 

San 

Deftly  pace  this,  with  little  lifted  feet 
Shod  in  the  white  silk  tabi :  and  soft  lips 
Making  the  melodies  to  guide  her  feet, 
The  music  sitting  silent ;  or,  at  most, 
Dropping  a  high  note  in  DOW  and  again. 
Then,  with  her  fan  before  her  face,  or  waved 


THE   "  NO  "   DANCE  83 

In  dreamy  curves,  she  sang  a  verse  of  Love 
We, — and  the  Fisher-boy — still  on  our  knees. 

SHE.  "And  Love — sweet  Love! 

Oh  less  than  the  splendor  spread 
From  Fuji's  head 

To  the  sea,  and  the  grass,  and  the  grove 
Know  ye  the  deep  things  of  this  1 
A  little  men  taste  its  bliss 
In  the  belov'd  one's  charms, 
And  the  close-wound  arms, 
And  the  spirits  which  almost  kiss 
Through  their  dividing  bodies  ;  and  delight 
Of  mother-love  and  father-love,  and  friends 
Hand-fast,  and  heart-fast !     But  Death's  sudden 

night 
Comes ;  and  in  gloom,  it  seems,  Love's  sunshine 

ends. 
Thus  Love's  warm  golden  wing 

Shields  not  from  shuddering 
The  souls  it  covers,  chilled  with  dread  to  part. 
Ah!  could  I  tell, 
Who  see  it  near  and  well, 


84  THE   "  NO  "   DANCE 

The  far  truth  freely  to  each  beating  heart 

Not  on  your  tearful  planet  once  again 

Should  Love  be  pain, 
Nor  from  your  blinded  eyes  should  salt  tears  start. 

But  that  which  I  would  teach 

Hath  in  your  human  speech 
No  words  to  name  such  comfort  rich  and  great  ; 

Therefore  dream  on,  asleep, 

And,  dreaming,  weep ! 
And  wait !  a  little, — yet  a  little  wait !  " 

So,  or  in  suchwise,  in  soft  Japanese, 
The  ancient  uta  flowed ;  and  fluttered  to  it 
O  Tsuru  San's  light  silks,  kirtle  and  sleeve ; 
And  closed  and  opened  to  it  her  brown  arms  ; 
"While  crystal  tears  stood  in  her  eyes  at  times 
Singing  of  sorrowful  Love.     Till,  with  a  laugh 
She  stayed,  and  brake  into  the  Planet  Dance  : 
Joyously  circling,  singing,  beating  time: 

SHE.  "  Steps  of  my  silvery  star 
Dancing  alone,  afar 


THE   "  NO  "  DANCE  85 

So  still,  so  slow 
No  mortal  may  know 
How  stately  her  footsteps  are  ; 
Nor  what  fair  music  is  guide  of  her  feet, 
Solemn  and  high  and  sweet; 
All  in  a  tune 

To  the  Sun  and  the  Moon, 
And  the  drums  that  the  glad  worlds  beat. 
As  long  a  path  as  your  little  orb  goes, 
From  the  first  of  her  flowers  to  the  last  of  her  snows 
My  white  Home  sweeps  in  a  night; 
Knowing  not  haste,  knowing  no  rest, 

For  delight 

In  the  life  of  her  silver  light 
And  joy  of  the  wide  blue  waste, 
Where  the  Angels  pass 
Like  fish  through  the  sea's  green  glass, 
But  you  cannot  see  that  sight ! " 

And,  while  we  did  not  speak  for  wistfulness, 
Watching  the  woven  paces,  wondering 
To  note  how  foot  and  tongue  kept  faultless  time 
To  dreamy  tinkling  of  the  samisens, 


86  THE   "NO"   DANCE 

Across  her  breast  that  golden-feathered  gown 
Softly  she  drew;  spread   her  brown  arms  like 

wings  ; 

And  passed ! — O  Yuki  San  and  we  alone ! 
The  "No"  Dance  ended! 

"Thanks,  dear  Tsuru  San! 
Yet  half  we  wish  O  Yuki  had  not  given!" 


OTHER    POEMS 


A  SONG 

ONCE — and  only  once — you  gave 

One  rich  gift,  which  Memory 
Shuts  within  itself,  to  save 

Sweet  and  fresh,  while  life  may  be  ; 
Shuts  it  like  a  rose-leaf  treasured 

In  the  pages  of  a  book, 
Which  we  open,  when  heart-leisured, 

Now  and  then — softly  to  look. 

If  I  told  you  of  that  gift 

How  and  when,  the  tend'ring  of  it, 
Would  you,  out  of  rose-leaf  thrift, 

Claim  from  me  the  rend'ring  of  it? 
That  might  make  it  two  for  one 

(Twas  of  such  unwonted  kind !) 
Half  a  mind  I  have  to  tell  you 

Not  to  tell  you  half  a  mind. 


MOTHERS 

(A  Dialogue  at  Boston,  Mass.,  U.  S.  A.) 

"SEE  there,"  he  said,  "my  fair  American! 

Yon  noisy  child 
I'd  like  to  choke,  being  but  '  brutal  man ; ' 

That  Mother  mild 

\ 

"Takes  all  its  howls  for  music,  comforts  it 

With  song  and  kiss  : 
And  gives  it,  at  the  loudest  of  its  fit, 

Her  milky  bliss. 

"And  there  again, — yon  little  lambkin  bleating, 

Made  for  mint-sauce  : 
At  its  first  cry  the  Ewe  quits  clover-eating 

And  runs,  perforce. 


MOTHERS  91 

"And   yet  again,   that   purple-winged  hen-star- 
ling, 

Hungry — I'll  vouch  it! 
Flies  with  a  fat  grub  to  her  nested  darling, 

Nor  dreams  to  pouch  it ! 

"  She-mercy  everywhere,  she-pitying 

In  helpless  season  ! 
You  Boston  girls  seem  up  to  everything : 

Tell  me  the  reason." 

"Why,  certainly!"  she  smiled,  "don't  poets  know 

Better  than  others? 
God  can't  be  always  everywhere  :  and,  so, 

Invented  Mothers." 


INSCRIPTION   FOR  STAINED- 
GLASS  WINDOW 

IN    ST.  MARGARET'S    CHURCH,   WESTMINSTER, 
LONDON 

(To  the  Memory  of  Edward  Lloyd,  Esq.) 

A  MASTER-PRINTER  of  the  Press,  he  spake 

By   mouth   of    many    thousand    tongues :    he 

swayed 
The    pens    which    break    the    sceptres.      Good 

Lord !   make 
Thy  strong  ones  faithful  and  thy  bold  afraid ! 


SONNET  TO  AMERICA 

AMERICA!    At  this  thy  Golden  Gate, 

New  travelled  from  those  portals  of  the  West, 
Parting  —I  make  my  reverence !    It  were  best 

With  backward  looks  to  quit  a  Queen  in  state ! 

Land  of  all  lauds  most  fair,  and  free,  and  great, 
Of  countless  kindred  lips,  wherefrom  I  heard 

Sweet  speech  of  Shakespeare — keep  it  consecrate 
For  noble  uses !    Land  of  Freedom's  Bird, 
Fearless  and  proud !     so  let  him  soar  that, 
stirred 

With  generous  joy,  all  lands  may  learn  from  thee 
A  larger  life,  and  Europe,  undeterred 

By  ancient  dreads,  dare  also  to  be  free 

Body  and  Soul,  seeing  thine  eagle  gaze 

Undazzled,  upon  Freedom's  sun  full-blaze. 


THE  BRITISH   EMPIRE 

FROM    CLAUDIAN 
(De  secundo  Consulatu  Stilichonis.) 

"  Hcec  est  in  gremium  Victos  quce  sola  recepit 
Humanumque  genus  communi  nomine  fovit 
Malris  non  domince  ritu:  civesque  vocavit 
Quos  domuit,  nexuque  pio  longinqua  revinxit." 

SHE  alone  knew,  of  victors  first  and  best, 
To  fold  the  vanquished  to  her  pardoning  breast : 
To  gather  'neath  her  wings,  in  one  great  brood, 
The  tribes  of  Man,  by  might,  then  love,  sub- 
dued, 

Mother,  not  Queen,  calling   those  sons  by  birth 
Whom   she    had    conquered  —  linking    ends    of 
Earth. 


THE  SULTAN'S  RING 

(From  the  Persian.) 

A  neck-exalting  Lord,  a  Median  King, 
Heard  one  in  rags,  sore-troubled,  say  this  thing 
Under  the  palace-arch — haggard  and  faint, 
Rocking  upon  the  Carpet  of  Complaint : 
"Oh,  Sultan!   to  the  door  of  God  goest  thou 
As  I  to  thine:  therefore  accomplish  now 
Mercy  towards  me,  as  thou  for  mercy  prayest : 
'  Make  glad  my  heart ! '  to  Allah  so  thou  sayest, 
Therefore,  from  Sorrow's  darkness  bring  forth 

mine ! " 

Now,  on  that  Sultan's  thumb  a  stone  did  shine, 
Pigeon-blood  ruby,  such  a  gem  the  Shroff 
Faltered  in  telling  what  would  weigh  enough 
In  gold  tomans  to  price  it.     In  the  night 
It  glowed  as  day  had  dropped  spark  of  rose- 
light 


96  THE  SULTAN'S  RING 

From  tli'  afternoon :    and  in  the  Day  it  seemed 
As  though  a  red  imprisoned  sunbeam  gleamed. 

The  Sultan  drew  this  wonder  from  his  thumb, 
While,  at  his  stirrup-iron,  grim  and  dumb, 
The  Aghas  watched,  stroking  their  beards.     He 

drew 

The  ruby  off,  and  quotha :    "  It  was  new 
Upon  our  lips  that  prayer!    God  may  delay 
To  hear  us  if  we  turn  our  hearts  away 
When  others  ask.     Go,  sell  this  ring,  and  buy 
Oil  of  Content  for  Sore  of  Misery ! " 

Better  a  king's  hand  lacking  royal  seal 
Than  King's  ear  guilty  of  unheard  appeal ! 


CHAPTER  I.  OF  THE  DHAMMA- 
PADA 

THOUGHT  in  the  mind  hath  made  us.     What  thou 

art 
By  thought  was  wrought   and   builded.     If  a 

soul 
Hath  evil  thoughts,   pain   comes   as   wheels  of 

cart 
Behind  its  oxen  roll. 

All  that  we  are  is  what  we  think  and  will : 
Our  thoughts  shape  us  and  frame.     If  one 
endure 

In  purity  of  thought,  joy  follows  still 
As  his  own  shadow — sure  ! 

"He  hath  defamed  me,   wronged    me,    broken 
* 

trust, 

Abased  me,  beaten  me ! "    If  one  shall  keep 


98      CHAPTER  I.  OF  THE  DHAMMAPADA 

Thoughts  like  these  angry  words  within  his  breast 
Hatreds  will  never  sleep! 

"  He    hath    defamed   me,   wronged    me,    vilely 
wrought, 

Abased  nie,  beaten  me ! "    If  one  shall  send 
Such  angry  words  away  for  pardoning  thought 

Hatreds  will  have  an  end. 

For,  never  anywhere  at  any  time 

Did  hatred  cease  by  hatred.     Always  'tis 

By  Love  that  hatred  ceaseth.     From  the  prime 
The  ancient  Eule  is  this. 

The  many,  that  live  foolish,  do  forget 

Or  never  knew,  how  mortal  wrongs  pass  by  : 

But  they  who  know,  and  who  remember,  let 
Transient  quarrels  die. 

"Whoso  abides,  looking  for  pleasures,  vain, 
Gluttonous,  proud,  in  idle  luxuries, 

Mara  will  him  o'erthrow,  as  wind  and  rain 
Level  short-rooted  trees. 


CHAPTER   I.  OF   THE  DHAMMAPADA      99 

Whoso  abides,  disowning  joys,  controlled, 
Temperate,  faithful,  firm,  shunning  all  ill, 

Mara  shall  no    more    shake    that  man  strong- 

souled 
Than  the  wind  shakes  a  hill. 

Whoso  Kdshya  bears — the  yellow  dress — 

Being  anishkashya,*  not  sin-free 
Nor  heeding  Truth  and  Law — in  wrongfulness 

That  holy  robe  wears  he. 

But  whoso,  living  nishkashya  aright, 

Clean  from  offence,  doth  still  in  virtue  dwell 
Observing  temperance  and  truth — that  wight 

Weareth  Kashtya  well. 

Whoso  imagines  truth  in  the  untrue 
And  in  the  true  finds  untruth — he  expires 

Never  attaining  Knowledge — all's  to  rue ! 
He  follows  vain  desires. 

*  There  is  a  play  here  on  the  words  Kashya,  the  yellow  robe 
of  the  Buddhists,  and  Kashya,  "  impurity." 


IOO    CHAPTER   I.  OF  THE   DHAMMAPADA 

Whoso  discerns  in  truth  the  true,  and  sees 
The  false  in  falseness  with  unbliuded  eye, 

He  doth  attain  to  knowledge.     Life  with  these 
Aims  well  before  they  die. 

As  rain  breaks  through  an  ill-thatched  roof,  so 

break 
Passions  through  minds  which  holy  thoughts 

despise : 

As  rain  runs  from  a  well-laid  roof — so  shake 
Their  passions  off,  the  wise. 

The  Evil-doer  mourneth  this  life  long 

And  mourneth  in  the  life  to  come.     In  both 

He  grieveth.     When  he  seeth  fruit  of  wrong 
To  see  he  will  be  loath. 

The  righteous  man  in  this  world  hath  his  boot, 
And  in  the  world  to  come.     From  both  he 

takes 
Pleasaunce.     When  he  doth  see  his  works  bear 

fruit 
The  good  sight  gladness  makes. 


CHAPTER  I.  OF  THE  DHAMMAPADA    IOI 

Glad  is  lie  living,  glad  in  dying,  glad 

Having  once  died :  glad  alway,  glad  to  know 

What  good  deeds  he  had  done,  glad  that  he  had 
More  good  where  he  did  go. 

The  lawless  man,  who  Law  not  following, 
Leaf  after  leaf  recites,  and  line  by  line ; 

No  Buddhist  is  he,  but  a  hireling 
Who  counts  another's  kine. 

The  law-obeying,  loving  one,  who  learns 

Only  one  verse  of  Dharma,  but  hath  ceased 

From  envy,  hatred,  malice,  ill  concerns, 
He  is  the  Buddhist  Priest! 


THE  CHIPMUNK 

STROLLING  in  the  city  garden 
Where  the  gardens  touched  the  woodlands 
(Always  with  new  eyes  beholding 
Men  and  beasts  and  birds  and  flowers 
In  your  land,  so  fair  and  friendly, 
In  America  so  wondrous) ; 
Suddenly  I  spy,  careering, 
Tail  in  air,  alert,  observant, 
Glittering  with  black-beady  eyeballs 
On  the  rail-edge,  like  rope-dancer, 
Some  small  beast  not  known  in  England. 
"  What  is  that  ?  "  I  said,  inquiring, 
"  Can  it  be  Longfellow's  squirrel, 
Hiawatha's  Adjidaumo  ?  " 

"Say!  and  don't  you  really  know  him?" 
Laughingly  replied  my  comrade, 
Tan-faced,  prairie  boy  of  ten  ; 


THE  CHIPMUNK  IO3 

"That's  the  Chipmunk,  and  we  kill  him 
For  his  smooth,  gray,  stripey  skin." 

"Ah!"  I  said,  "don't  kill  the  Chipmunk, 
If  his  little  coat  has  stripes ! 
Brother  he  must  be,  or  cousin 
To  a  Chipmunk  that  I  know 
Dwelling  in  the  Indian  Jungle. 
No  one  kills  the  small  geloori 

"  Over  there  in  far-off  India, 
Ever  since  they  heard  this  story- 
How  its  coat  came  to  be  striped." 

"Why,  do  tell!"  cried  my  companion; 
And  I  told  the  Hindoo  story 
All  to  save  chipmunks  and  squirrels. 

Once,  among  the  palm-groves  wandering, 
Shiva,  Lord  and  God  of  all  things, 
By  the  sea-shore  saw  a  squirrel 
Gray,  with  bushy  tail  and  bright  eyes, 
Dipping  constantly  in  ocean, 
Dipping  twenty  times  a  minute, 


IO4  THE   CHIPMUNK 

Dipping  deeply  in  the  salt  waves 
Busby  tail,  and  then  besprinkling 
On  the  shore  the  gathered  water. 

Quoth  the  God,  "What  art  thou  doing, 
Little  gray,  insensate  Squirrel! 
Dipping  in  the  mighty  ocean 
Tail  so  insignificant?" 

And  the  Squirrel  meekly  answered : 
"  Oh,  Creator  of  all  living, 
Glorious  Shiva !   I  am  trying 
To  bale  dry  the  Indian  Sea ; 
For  there  came  a  furious  tempest 
Which  laid  low  this  lofty  palm-tree 
Where  I  built  my  happy  nest ; 
And  the  palm  has  fallen  seaward, 
And  the  nest  lies  in  the  water, 
And  my  wife  and  pretty  children 
In  the  nest  will  float  away ; 
Therefore,  all  the  night  and  day  here, 
Do  I  dip  my  tail  and  shake  it, 
Hoping,  if  I  labor  stoutly, 


THE   CHIPMUNK  IO5 

At  the  last  to  bale  the  sea  dry, 
So  that  I  may  save  my  darlings 
Even  though  I  spoil  my  tail." 

Gravely  spake  the  Lord  of  Heaven : 
"Truly  'tis  a  good  example, 
Little,  gray,  absurd  Geloori! 
Which  you  set  to  families. 
If  all  husbands  were  as  faithful, 
And  all  fathers  proved  as  fond, 
Happier  would  be  those  I  fashion, 
Sweet  would  pass  the  lives  I  give ! " 
Then  He  stooped,  and,  with  his  great  hand — 
Hand  that  makes  the  men  and  spirits — 
Hand  that  holds  the  stars  and  planets 
As  we  grasp  a  bunch  of  grapes — 
Shiva  stroked  the  toiling  squirrel; 

And  there  came,  from  nose  to  tail-end, 
Four  green  stripes  upon  the  gray ; 
Marks  by  the  Supreme  Hand  planted 
As  a  sign  of  love  forever. 
Then  He  lifted  high  that  hand, 


IO6  THE   CHIPMUNK 

Waved  it  to  the  rolling  waters, 
Waved  it  to  the  roaring  Main, 
Which  ran  back  with  all  its  surges 
Like  white  dogs  that  know  their  master, 
Leaving  bare  the  rocks  and  seaweed, 
Leaving  high  and  dry  the  palm-tree. 

And  the  little  squirrel  hastened — 
Cocking  high  his  tail  again, 
Reached  his  woven  house  of  grass-blades- 
Found  his  wife,  and  found  his  children 
Dry  and  well,  and  chirping  welcomes. 
So  he  brought  them  safe  to  dry  land, 
But  the  wonder  was  to  see 
All  their  little  smooth  backs  "stripey" 
With  the  sign  of  Shiva's  fingers ! 

That  is  why,  in  distant  India, 
Good  men  never  kill  the  chipmunks; 
And,  I  think,  his  cousins  here, 
Though  no  God  has  ever  stroked  them, 
Would  be  grateful  if  you  left  them 
Playing  'mid  the  scarlet  maples 
Of  your  Pennsylvanian  woods. 


A  ROSE  OF  THE  "GARDEN  OF 
FRAGRANCE" 

(From  the  Persian  of  Sadi's  "  Bostan.") 

OP  hearts  disconsolate  see  to  the  state : 

To  bear  a  breaking  heart  may  prove  thy  fate. 

Help  to  be  happy  those  thine  aid  can  bless, 
Mindful  of  thine  own  day  of  helplessness. 

If  thou  at  others'  doors  need'st  not  to  pine 
In  thanks  to  Allah  drive  no  man  from  thine. 

Over  the  orphan's  path  protection  spread! 
Pluck  out  his  heart-grief,  lift  his  drooping  head. 

"When  with  his  neck  bent  low  thou  spiest  one, 
Kiss  not  the  lifted  face  of  thine  own  son ! 


108  A  ROSE  OF  THE  GARDEN 

Take  heed  these  go  not  weeping.     Allah's  throne 
Shakes  to  the  sigh  the  orphan  breathes  alone. 

With  kindness  wipe  the  tear-drop  from  his  eye, 
Cleanse  him  from  dust  of  his  calamity! 

There  was  a  merchant,  who,  upon  his  way — 
Meeting  one  fatherless  and  lamed — did  stay 

To  draw  the  thorn  which  pricked  his  foot ;  and 

passed : 
And  'twas  forgot :  and  the  man  died  at  last : 

But  in  a  dream  the  Prince  of  Khojand  spies 
That  man  again,  walking  in  Paradise ; 

Walking  and  talking  in  the  Blessed  Land, 
And  what  he  said  the  Piince  could  understand : 

For  he  said  this :  plucking  the  heavenly  posies, 
"Ajab!  that  one  Thorn  made  me  many  Roses !" 


TO  MY  BIOGRAPHER 

TRACE  me  through  my  snow, 
Track  me  through  my  mire, 
You  shall  never  know 
Half  that  you  desire! 

Praise  me,  or  asperse, 
Deck  me,  or  deride ; 
In  my  veil  of  verse 
Safe  from  you  I  hide. 


A   PICTURE 

(From  the  German  of  the  Queen  of  Roumania.) 

SITS  upon  the  splintered  summit 
Swathed  in  tempest,  by  a  black  gulf, 
Wondrous  beautiful,  a  Woman — 
Large  and  strong  her  body's  lines  are 
As  she  leans  upon  the  rock 
At  the  crag's  edge  lightly  swaying : 
One  knee  rests  across  the  other 
Balanced,  and,  with  fingers  clenched, 
In  her  hand  she  grasps  a  serpent, 
Careless  how  the  monstrous  creature 
Twines  and  coils,  and  shoots  its  fork  forth 
Helpless  that  white  grip  to  loosen, 
Helpless  to  escape  her  fingers. 
Red  her  hair  is  ;    like  to  flame-tongues 
Stream  amid  the  storm  its  tresses, 


A  PICTURE  III 

Float  into  the  clouds  and  capture 
The  chain-lightning  as  it  falls, 
Drawing  through  its  skeins  those  flashes 
Which  glide  harmless  down  her  body, 
But,  beneath  her,  split  a  pine-tree 
From  its  topmost  bough  to  foot. 
And  the  eyes  of  this  wild  woman, 
In  the  light  which  flickers  purple 
Bound  and  round  the  summit,  glitter 
Green  beneath  great  brows  of  black. 


DURCH   DEN  WALD 

(From  the  German  of  the  Queen  of  Roumania.) 

THROUGH  the  forest  there  fluttered  a  song 

Upborne  upon  airy  gay  wings; 
As  the  breeze  lisps  the  beech-boughs  among 

So  softly  it  lit  on  my  strings : 
And  my  harp  told  the  River  again : 
And  the  trees  and  the  birds  caught  the  strain : 

And  the  flow'rs  set  up  soft  whisperings. 

Through  the  forest  came  loitering  Love : 
There  was  budding  and  blooming  at  this : 

The  birds  woke,  with  welcome,  the  grove 
And  the  rocks  and  the  springs  felt  the  bliss ; 

It  seemed  'twould  be  sunshine  forever 

As  the  sun  shed  red  gold  on  the  River 
While  the  waves  and  the  bank-buds  did  kiss. 


DURCH  DEN  WALD  113 

Through  the  forest  a  tempest  'gan  roar, 
Song  and  Love  in  its  fury  it  caught, 

And  both  to  the  far  Sea  it  bore, 

So  an  end  to  our  singing  was  brought ! 

And  the  Eiver  went  silently  by, 

And  the  gold  melted  out  of  the  sky, 

And  the  talk  of  the  birds  came  to  naught! 


THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE  VICTORY 


("  On  the  wall  is  suspended  the  foretopsail  of  Lord  Nelson's 
flagship  Victory."  Vide  "Catalogue  of  Naval  Exhibition, 
Chelsea,  1S9L") 


OH,  Wings  of  Victory ! 

Proud  battle-plumage,  torn  with  shot  and  ball, 
Draped  in  wide  tattered  glory  on  this  wall ! 

Come  hither  !     Come  and  see  ! 

Lord  Nelson's  canvas  here! 
The  topsail  of  his  Flagship,  when  he  sailed 
To  win  Trafalgar  for  us, — and  prevailed 

'Mid  thunder,  flame,  and  fear. 

t 

The  cloths  she  sheeted  home 
Shining  and  white  that  day !   halliards  and  clew, 
Cringle  and  tack  and  bolt-rope — clean  and  new — 

Close  to  the  foe  to  come : 


THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE  VICTORY        11$ 

Now  faded,  ragged,  frayed : 
As  yellow  as  King  George's  guineas!  rent 
From  bunt  to  ear-ring :  yet  magnificent ! 

Yet  in  royal  state  arrayed! 

For,  dear  and  dauntless  ship, 
Built  of  the  British  Oak,  and  manned  with  hearts 
Stanch  as  the  heart  of  oak!      What  pulse   but 
starts  ? 

What  pride  leaps  to  the  lip 

Thinking  how  each  clout  heard 
The   boatswain  pipe :    "  Hoist    the    fore  topsail, 

Lads ! 
Haul  home  !     Haul  home ! "    And  then  it  soars 

and  spreads 
Like  pinion  of  sea-bird; 

Amongst  the  clouds  a  cloud : 
And  then  it  sees  from  foretop — while  it  holds 
The  Spanish  breeze,  and  mightily  unfolds — 

Down  on  the  decks  that  crowd 


Il6       THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE   VICTORY 

Of  Nelson's  lions  stand, 

Stripped  to  the  waist  at  stations:  every  man 
Alight  with  the  great  signal-words  which  ran 

Joyous,  and  good,  and  grand — 

"England  expects 

That  every  man  this  day  " — "Ay !   ay  ! "  we  hear  ! 
Our  duty  we  shall  do :  have  ye  no  fear  " 

The  very  cannons'  necks 

Lean  hungry  o'er  the  swell, 
Craving  for  battle-food :  and,  leading  all, 
Nelson's  Three-decker  goes,  majestical ! 

Beautiful !   terrible ! 

Oh,  Wings  of  Victory ! 

Flew  ye  indeed  that  forenoon,  white  and  great, 
Wafting  our  hero  to  his  glorious  fate 

Over  the  dancing  sea? 

Marked  ye,  indeed, 

The  haughty  foemen's  challenge-flags  unfold 
From  ship  to  ship,  along  the  rippled  gold? 

And,  ever  true  at  need 


THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE  VICTORY        117 

Collingwood  close?    And  Lake? 
And  Nelson,  from  his  knees,  come  brave  and  gay 
To  give  his  bright  blood  for  us?  and  the  array 

Of  liners,  in  his  wake? 

Gods !  how  we  see 

Bullets  and  round-shot  rend  thy  bellying  white ! 
And  scarlet  smoke-wreaths  from  the  rattling  fight 

Enwrap  thee,  weather  and  lee ! 

And  how,  below, 

'Mid  blast  of  such  red  thunders,  rife  with  death, 
Such  terror  as  no  tempest  witnesseth, 

Our  British  Jacks,  aglow, 

Fight  on  for  Britain's  Crown 
As  if  each  man  were  not  King's  man,  but  King ! 
And  what  cheers  split  the  sky,  when  fluttering, 

Flag  after  flag  comes  down ! 

And  then — there  !   there ! 

While    thy    scorched    folds  flap   triumph  —  that 
'curst  ball ! 


Il8       THE  TOPSAIL  OF  THE  VICTORY 

The  mortal  wound !    our  matchless   Champion's 

fall! 
Loss  that  made  all  gain  dear. 

Foretopsail  old ! 

Under  your  foot  he  fell — splendid  in  death : 
Under  your  shade    breathed    forth    his   patriot 
breath ! 

Ah!  wove  with  valor's  gold, 

Heroic  Bags! 
Flaunt   to  the    world,  as   once   to   France   and 

Spain, 
Token  of  England's  might  upon  the  main, 

Better  than  blazoned  flags. 

Flaunt ! — for  ye  may — 
Tatters  which  make  it  boast  enough  to  be 
Of  Nelson's  blood!    Torn  "Wings  of  Victory 

From  dread  Trafalgar's  day! 


THE   FRIGATE   ENDYMION 


("  Towards  the  close  of  the  war  with  France,  Captain  the  Hon. 
Sir  Charles  Paget,  while  cruising  in  the  Endymion  frigate  on 
the  coast  of  Spain,  descried  a  French  ship  of  the  line  in  immi- 
nent danger,  embayed  among  rocks  on  a  lee  shore:  bowsprit 
and  foremast  gone,  and  riding  by  a  stream  cable :  her  only  re- 
maining one. 

"  Though  it  was  blowing  a  gale,  Sir  Charles  bore  down  to 
the  assistance  of  his  enemy,  dropped  his  sheet-anchor  on 
the  Frenchman's  bow,  buoyed  the  cable,  and  veered  it  across 
his  hawser.  This  the  disabled  ship  succeeded  in  getting  in, 
and  thus  seven  hundred  lives  were  saved  from  destruction. 

"After  performing  this  chivalrous  action  the  Endymion, 
being  herself  in  great  peril,  hauled  to  the  wind,  let  go  her 
bower-anchor,  club-hauled,  and  stood  off  shore  on  the  other 
tack."  Vide  ' '  Catalogue  Royal  Naval  Exhibition,  1891.") 


THE  English  roses  on  her  face 

Blossomed  a  brighter  pink,  for  pride, 

As,  through  the  glories  of  the  place 
Wistful,  we  wandered,  side  by  side. 

We  saw  our  bygone  worthies  stand, 
Done  to  the  life,  in  steel  and  gold, 


I2O  THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION 

Howard  and  Drake — a  stately  band — 
Sir  Walter,  Anson,  Hawkins  bold : 

By  all  the  martial  blazonry 

Of  Blake's  great  battles,  and  the  roar 
Of  Jervis,  thundering  through  the  sea : 

With  Rodney,  Hood,  and  fifty  more : 

To  him,  the  bravest,  gentlest,  best, 
Duty's  dear  Hero,  Britain's  star — 

The  chieftain  of  the  dauntless  breast, 
Nelson,  our  Thunderbolt  of  War! 

We  saw  him  gathering  sword  by  sword 
On  conquered  decks  from  Don  aud  Dane, 

We  saw  him,  Victory's  laurelled  Lord, 
Eend  the  French  battle-line  a-twain : 

We  saw  the  coat,  the  vest,  he  wore 
In  thick  of  dread  Trafalgar's  day : 

The  blood-stains,  and  the  ball  which  tore 
Shoulder-gold,  lace,  and  life  away. 


THE  FRIGATE   ENDYMION  121 

In  countless  grand  War-pieces  there 

The  green  seas  foamed  with  gallant  blood  : 

The  skies  blazed  high  with  flame  and  fear, 
The  tall  masts  toppled  to  the  flood. 

But  ever,  'mid  red  rage  and  glow 

Of  each  tremendous  Ocean  fight, 
Safe,  by  the  strength  of  those  below 

The  flag  of  England  floated  bright! 

"Ah,  deai*,  brave  souls!"   she  said,  "'tis  good 

To  be  a  British  girl  and  claim 
Some  drops,  too,  of  such  splendid  blood, 

Some  distant  share  of  deathless  fame ! " 

"  Yet,  still  I  think  of  what  tears  rained 
From  tender  French  and  Spanish  eyes 

For  all  those  glorious  days  we  gained. 
Oh  !  the  hard  price  of  victories ! " 

"Come  then!"  I  said:  "witness  one  fight 
With  triumph  crowned,  which  cost  no  tear : 


122  THE   FRIGATE   ENDYMION 

Waged  gallant  'gainst  the  tempest's  might." 
Then  turned  we  to  a  canvas  near. 

"  Look !  the  King's  frigate :  and  her  foe : 
The  coast  is  Spain !     Cruising  to  spy 

An  enemy,  she  finds  him  so, 

Caught  in  a  death-trap,  piteously ! 

"A  great  Three-decker!     Close  a-lee 
Wild  breakers  on  the  black  rocks  foam 

Will  drown  that  ship's  whole  company 
When  the  one  Anchor's  fluke  comes  home. 

"Her  foremast  gone,  she  cannot  set 
Head-sails  to  cast  her  off  the  land  : 

Those  poor  souls  have  to  draw  breath,  yet 
As  long  as  while  a  warp  will  stand. 

"  'Tis  war-time — time  of  mutual  hate — 
Only  to  keep  off,  therefore, — tack, 

Mark  from  afar  'Jean  Crapaud's '  fate, 
And  lightly  to  '  my  Lords '  bear  back 


THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION  123 

"  Good  news  of  the  great  Liner,  done 
To  splinters,  and  some  thirty  score 

Of  '  Mounseers  '  perished  !  Not  a  gun 
To  fire  !  Just  stand  by — no  more  ! 

"Also,  that  Captain  who  should  go — 
Eyes  open — where  this  Gaul  is  driven, 

Would  steer  straight  into  Hell's  mid  woe 
Out  of  the  easy  peace  of  Heaven. 

"  Well !  let  them  strike  and  drown  !— Not  he ! 

Not  lion-hearted  Paget !     No  ! 
The  war's  forgot!     He'll  make  us  see 

Seamanship  at  its  topmost.     'Blow 

"  '  Boatswain  !  your  pipe  !     Endymions,  hear  ! 

Forward  and  aft,  all  hands  on  deck  ! 
Let  my  sails  draw,  range  hawsers  clear ! 

Paget  from  fate  his  foe  will  pluck ! ' 

"  So  bears  she  down  ;  the  fair  white  flag 
Hoisted — full  friendlv — at  the  main! 


124  THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION 

Her  guns  run  in  ;  twice  to  a  rag 
The  stormsail  torn,  but  set  again. 

"And,  when  she  rounds  to  wind,  they  swarm 

Into  their  rigging,  and  they  dip 
The  tricolor,  with  hearts  made  warm 

By  hope  and  love.     Look  now!  his  ship 

"Inside  the  doomed  one!   and  you  note 
How,  between  life  and  death,  he  keeps 

His  Frigate  like  a  pleasure-boat 

Clean  full  and  by :   and,  while  he  sweeps 

"Athwart  the  Frenchman's  hawse,  lets  go 
His  big  sheet-anchor :  buoys  it,  cast 

Clear  o'er  the  rail     They  know,  they  know! 
Here's  help !  here's  hope !  here's  chance  at  last ! 

"For  hauling  (you  shall  understand) 
That  English  hawser  o'er  her  side, 

All  fear  is  fled  of  yon  black  strand : 
Safely  the  huge  three-decker  rides. 


THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION  125 

"Safe  shall  she  come  to  Brest  again, 
With  Jean  and  Jacques,  and  Paul  and  Pierre ; 

And  float  to  fight  King  George's  men 
Thanks  to  the  goodly  British  gear. 

"But  woe  to  bold  Endymion, 
Never  was  darker  plight  for  craft ; 

Laid-to — all  save  one  anchor  gone, 
And  those  black  fateful  rocks  abaft! 

"  Fresh  -  plucked  from    death    the    Frenchmen 
watched 

A  sailor's  highest  lesson  shown ; 
They  view  by  skill  that  Frigate  snatched 

From  peril  direr  than  their  own. 

"  To  beat  to  windward  she  must  fly 
Round  to  the  starboard  tack:  but  drives 

Full  on  the  rocks  in  staying :    try 
To  wear  her,  the  same  fate  arrives. 

"  One  desperate  shift  remains !     She  brings 
Her  cable  to  the  bitts :  makes  fast : 


126  THE   FRIGATE   ENDYMION 

Drops  anchor :   by  the  starboard  swings : 
And,  when  a-lee  her  stern  is  cast, 

"  Hauls  on  the  slack,  and  cuts  adrift : 
Sheets  home  her  foresail:   fills,  and  swerves 

A  ship's  length  forth.     Subtle  and  swift 
Her  aim  the  tempest's  wrath  now  serves. 

"In  view  of  those  safe,  rescued  men, 
Foot  by  foot  steals  she  space  to  live : 

Self-stripped  of  hope,  except  she  win 
The  offing.  None  can  succor  give! 

"  A  ship's  length  more !   One  ship's  length  more  ! 

And  then  '  helm  down ! '  Then,  somewhat  free 
Comes  the  fierce  blast !     That  leeward  shore 

Slides  slow  astern !    That  raging  sea 

"Widens!    If  once  yon  whitened  reef 
She  weathers !   'tis  a  saviour  saved ! — 

Seamanship  conquers !   past  belief 

She  rounds !     The  peril  hath  been  braved ! 


THE  FRIGATE  ENDYMION  12? 

"  Then,  louder  than  the  storm-wind's  yell, 
Rings  in  her  wake  the  Frenchmen's  cheer, 

Bidding  the  good  ship  glad  farewell 

While  our  staunch  Frigate  draws  out  clear. 

"  Never  was  nobler  salvage  made ! 
Never  a  smarter  sea-deed  done ! " 


"Best  of  all  fights  I  love,"  she  said: 
"This  fight  of  the  Endymion." 


UENVOI 

(Prom  the  German  of  the  Queen  of  Roumania.) 

AND  that  which  here  I  have  been  singing 

It  was  all  yours — not  mine ! 
From  your  joy  all  its  gladness  bringing  : 
Its  sad  chords  from  your  sorrows  ringing : 

I  did  but  you  divine ! 

Tours  were  the  thoughts  forever  ranging ! 

You  made  the  folk-tales  true  ! 
In  this  Earth-show  of  chance  and  changing 
Of  life  uniting,  death  estranging, 

Look,  Soul !  these  things  were  you ! 

Perchance  when  Death  shall  bring  me  leisure, 

And  these  tired  lips  lie  dumb, 
Then  you  my  words  will  better  measure, 
And  in  my  love  take  larger  pleasure, 

Its  meaning  being  come! 


